SHEPHERD Engineering Services of York has won a blockbuster £20 million Home Office contract - one of the biggest the company has ever secured.

The firm will look after the mechanical and electrical installations for a new Home Office Central London Accommodation Strategy project - HOCLAS.

The plan, already under way, is to demolish the cluster of controversial skyscrapers known as The Three Ugly Sisters, which were used by the Environment Department, and replace them with a sleek new Home Office HQ, as part of a mixed development.

Shepherd Engineering Services was awarded the contract by main HOCLAS contractor, Bouygues UK.

Shepherd's role will be to supply and fit the £311 million, 55,000 sq metre project with air conditioning, heating, plumbing , lighting and computer cabling.

Work will begin this summer and completion is due in spring 2005.

Chris Symeonides, commercial director of the York company, based in Mill Mount, said: "This is one of the largest projects ever procured by us in our 42-year history."

Mr Symeonides said: "We are delighted to be associated with such a landmark project."

Only the firm's West India Quay project in London's docklands, which began last September, was worth more, at £21 million. That is expected to be finished in spring 2004.

Updated: 09:52 Saturday, July 05, 2003