FCC and Welsh company Alun Griffiths have landed the contract to build a racing circuit in Blaenau Gwent, South Wales, about 50 kilometres from Cardiff. According to Heads of the Valleys Development Company, which is responsible for the project, construction costs will exceed 310 million euro.

The motor racing development will include a main track measuring 5.6 kilometres, as well as a kart circuit and a motocross track, to be built to the standards of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM).

The complex will also have a technology park with cutting-edge equipment for research and development and assistance services related to the automotive and motorsport sectors, as well as an elite training school for pilots.

Michael Carrick, chief executive of Heads of the Valleys Development Company, said the Circuit of Wales "will be a diamond in the British sporting landscape". With regard to choosing FCC and Griffiths for the project, Carrick described it as the "perfect complement of international expertise and local knowledge”.

According Rafael Foulquie, UK managing director of FCC Construction: "This project signifies a remarkable milestone within the company’s international development, and reinforces our vision of the UK as our main target. It’s a great opportunity for FCC to get established in Wales, promote local employment and work closely with local communities".

Martyn Evans, director of Griffiths, stated that the circuit "is the sort of project that will change lives in Blaenau Gwent, as well as people’s perception of the area. We’re thrilled to be a part of it."

Heads of the Valleys Development Company's priorities for the project include low carbon emissions and a commitment to employing local people. Both FCC and Griffiths have underlined their commitment to a sustainable project that has consideration for the community and the environment.

FCC and its experience in sports facilities
FCC has experience in building leading-edge sports facilities around the world. These include famous stadiums like Allianz Arena, where FC Bayern Munich plays; the stadiums that hosted the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament in Warsaw and Gdansk; and Cornellà-El Prat stadium, where RCD Espanyol plays and which was named Venue of the Year in 2010.

FCC's Construction division has built other major tracks, including the Valencia Street Circuit and the Circuito de Jerez, in Cádiz.

FCC's other projects in the British Isles include the South West Acute Hospital in Northern Ireland, which cost 276 million pounds (around 345 million euro) and was inaugurated in June. It built the International Broadcasting Centre (IBC) for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, as well as the N6 Galway–Ballinasloe road and Dublin's M50 motorway.

FCC is currently building a section of London's Crossrail. The contract, worth 250 million pounds (around 300 million euro), includes execution of the accesses and tunnels for the Whitechapel and Liverpool Street stations.
About Alun Griffiths

Alun Griffiths Ltd. is based in Abergavenny in South East Wales. It is one of the top 20 civil engineering companies in the UK, and has extensive experience in Blaenau Gwent, where the track is to be built. The company built the well-known Ebbw Valley railway line, inaugurated in 2008.