Failure of construction giant ISG hits work at Bishop’s Stortford High School and Avanti Grange
Building work for two Bishop’s Stortford secondary schools has been hit by the failure of ISG, one of the UK’s largest construction companies.
The firm was awarded contracts totalling more than £60m for work at The Bishop’s Stortford High School and Avanti Grange – and neither project is complete.
On Friday (September 20), Construction Enquirer reported that chief executive Zoe Price sent staff a late-night email yesterday to confirm ISG had filed for administration in the UK.
She said: “The group’s trading and cash performance has been impacted by legacy issues relating to the large loss-making contracts secured between 2018 and 2020.”
Price told staff they would receive their salaries on Monday, and said that sites would not open today and the business was standing sub-contractors down.
She also told them that parent company Cathexis’s attempts to sell the sixth biggest UK contractor had failed.
A Hertfordshire County Council spokesperson said: “We have been notified that ISG has filed for administration, which is affecting building projects across the country.
“The company were in the final stages of works to complete the new Bishop’s Stortford High School and Avanti Grange School.
“While both schools remain open, we understand the impact this will have on the schools, pupils and local residents.
“We are urgently working with our partners to minimise disruption and ensure works are completed as soon as possible.”
This week ISG was expected to agree on a timetable for work to ease congestion and parking problems on and around the new Bishop’s Stortford High School campus at Beaumont Avenue, on the St James’ Park estate.
The company won a contract valued at around £30m to build the secondary in 2021. However, a series of delays – including the discovery of underground streams on the site – sent costs spiralling.
The start of term earlier this month was delayed when ISG was two weeks late handing over the buildings and a substantial amount of work outside the classrooms remains unfinished.
Avanti Grange staff and students moved to their new campus at Newland Avenue, on the St Michael’s Hurst development, in September 2023, after a year of sharing premises with Avanti Meadows Primary.
The campus straddles the A120, and ISG’s £32m contract for the 11.4-hectare site includes an as yet unbuilt 30m span steel pedestrian bridge across the road so pupils can reach five grass sports pitches across three large terraced areas to the north.
Bishop’s Stortford’s Labour MP Josh Dean said: “I know that students, parents and staff at Bishop’s Stortford High School and Avanti Grange will be worried by the news that construction company ISG has filed for administration.
“I share their concerns and have requested a briefing from Hertfordshire County Council. I am writing to both schools this afternoon to offer my support and arrange a meeting with them as soon as possible. I will work to keep residents up to date as this progresses.”
