A NORTH Yorkshire construction firm has been catapulted into the big league by winning an £80 million contract.

A Yorkshire team, led by S Harrison Developments Ltd, of Malton, has beaten off competition from more than 20 national companies to land the deal to redevelop a prime city centre site in Lichfield.

It is a mixed-use scheme next to the city's landmark Garrick Theatre on Birmingham Road on the south side of the city. The win reflects Harrison's strategy to extend its scope beyond its traditional Yorkshire base, having been started 52 years ago by Stanley Harrison, the late father of chairman, Martyn Harrison.

The development company, part of the construction and development-led S Harrison Group Ltd, has been instrumental in delivering a number of major town and city centre regeneration schemes.

Its latest project is the £50 million Washington Square development in Workington, and it is responsible for a high-profile scheme in Sheffield while work starts this year on a £20 million waterfront housing development on Tyneside.

In York, Harrison was responsible for the £3.5 million building, Meridian 2 in Blossom Street, soon to be occupied as the new headquarters of the Jarvis Group as well as the Tedder Road redevelopment providing 148 homes in partnership with the City of York Council and Home Housing.

It will be in the forefront of the Birch Park new homes development in Huntington, with work on eight apartment blocks starting in the summer.

The Lichfield project will see a department store, extra shops and leisure facilities, a cinema, hotel and residential and office accommodation on the five acre site.

As part of its proposal, which won the backing of Lichfield District Council, Harrison plans to add an 800-space car park and relocate the city's bus and police station. Harrison is now drawing up a development agreement with Lichfield District Council and work is likely to be completed in 2010. The Harrison team includes other Yorkshire companies. Leeds architects Chetwoods will work alongside Easingwold-based retail agents Nicholas Robinson and Partners. Harrison's development director David Clancy heads the team.

"The win puts Harrison firmly on the national map," said Mr Clancy. "It reinforces the message about the quality that is based here in Yorkshire that we can put together such an impressive team to beat off strong competition from across the UK."

Updated: 11:07 Tuesday, January 18, 2005