ONE of Wales’ biggest construction firms, which has been involved in a number of projects in Pembrokeshire, is going into administration.

WRW construction, which has a number of projects ongoing in Pembrokeshire, including building 33 affordable homes on the site of the former Johnston CP School, as well as work in Tiers Cross and Milford Haven, is being put into administration by its directors while under what was described as, ‘significant financial stress’.

WRW construction has also been involved in a major development at Pendine. A statement from the directors, said: “Despite a significant order book of over £60m to be delivered within the upcoming 12 months, a supportive lender, fantastic staff and prospects, regrettably, owing to a series of events in the last week, including an unfavourable adjudication outcome, the business was put under significant financial stress.

“The directors are in the process of placing the company into administration.”

WRW had a reported turnover of £64.2m in its last financial year, making it the biggest firm to go under in more than a year. Pembrokeshire County Council released a statement saying: “We are currently establishing the facts and will consider further actions as required.”

Among WRW’s biggest projects was a £22m, 20-storey Premier Inn hotel in Cardiff.

A tradesman who was working on the site at Johnston said: “We found out that WRW had been put into administration overnight. Some tradesmen went there in the morning to find all the locks had been changed and they can’t get access to the site.”

A number of staff have now reached out to law firm Aticus Law for advice over whether their jobs have officially been made redundant. A spokesperson at Aticus Law said that if the roles are redundant, staff would be able to pursue a Protective Awards claim.

Carmarthenshire County Council has secured two major development sites formerly run by WRW which are currently underway in Carmarthenshire - the Pendine attractor project and an affordable homes scheme in Llanelli.

Leader of the council, Cllr Emlyn Dole, said: “WRW Construction has worked with us to develop several major schemes over many years, including schools and homes, and we are sorry to hear of its collapse.

“Our immediate focus has been to secure two major development sites currently underway - the Pendine attractor project and an affordable homes scheme in Dylan, Llanelli.

“We are currently gathering information and providing practical support to assist sub-contractors who are involved in the work at both of these sites.

“As with all major projects, contingency arrangements are in place. As such we are confident that we can resume work to continue the delivery of both of these major projects in the near future.

"We will provide further updates in due course.”

Cllr Dole added that support for the workers affected has been put in place: “We have already mobilised business support officers from our economic development team to provide advice and information to those affected.”