Ecovert (South) Ltd, a UK operating division of French construction giant the Bouygues Group, will provide facilities management services at the new London headquarters of the Home Office and the Prison Service to be built under the Private Finance Initiative.

Annes Gate Property plc (AGP) is preferred bidder to construct and run the new headquarters which is to be built on the site of the former home of the Department of the Environment, which is planned for demolition.

AGP is a special purpose vehicle whose principal shareholders are European Land, the Bouygues Group, whose UK operating divisions Bouygues (UK) Ltd and CCF Charterhouse PLC. Chief executive is Godfrey Bradman, the managing director is Richard Frischmann.

The Home Office expects to sign a contract for the public private partnership in Spring 2001 and the new building, designed by Terry Farrell, should be ready for occupation by at least 3,000 staff by 2004.

Other members of the design team are DEGW, interior design and space planning; Pell Frischmann, structural engineering; TME and Battle McCarthy, Mechanical and Electrical services and Gardiner & Theobald as cost consultants. Property advisors are Montagu Evans and Jones Lang LaSalle. Financial advisors are CIBC and legal advisers are Norton Rose.