200 Rok jobs saved in sale to Mansell Construction Services but redundancies in other areas

More than 200 jobs have been saved at troubled construction firm Rok after an agreement in principle was reached to sell parts of the business to Mansell Construction Services but there will be a further 235 redundancies across remaining operations.

Mansell , a subsidiary of Balfour Beatty plc, is set to take over parts of the construction and social house building division of Rok – a move which will save 381 jobs.

The businesses which are to be sold comprise of the construction operations in Milton Keynes, Gatwick and Heathrow and the social house building businesses based in the South West and North West of England.

The remaining construction operations in Reading, Crawley, Bristol and Exeter as well as the social house building activities in Leeds do not form part of this sale and steps are being taken today to close these operations with approximately 235 redundancies across these sites.

The administrators continue to retain a team of people across the Group to assist them in their duties including in the winding down of the Group’s operations.

Jeremy Webb, director and joint administrator, PwC said: “We are delighted that we have been able to secure a sale of part of the business hence preserving employment for 381 people. This is tinged with disappointment that there was not sufficient interest in the other parts and hence the redundancies that have been made today.”

Of the 381 jobs, which will be secured by the agreement, 213 will be in the North. Toby Underwood, business recovery services partner at PwC in the North said: "The agreement in principle announced to sell parts of the construction and social house building division of Rok to Mansell Construction Services, a subsidiary of Balfour Beatty plc has saved 202 jobs in Rochdale and 11 jobs in Wakefield.

“In addition we have retained a small number of employees across the North to help with the orderly closure of various locations. As we have already committed, those employees who continue to be employed by the company and attend work will continue to be paid."