EXPANDING civil engineering and environmental firm Gwent Consultancy has landed itself in court!

But the burgeoning business, which is aiming to double its workforce to 400, is unlikely to end up behind bars.

The Newport-based firm been chosen to spearhead a £10 million revamp of the area's network of magistrates courts and will become project managers for the comprehensive programme.

The project will see new courthouses built, existing courthouses refurbished and a range of court services provided, such as maintenance, cleaning and energy management. The work will be undertaken on behalf of the Lord Chancellor's department and local authorities across Gwent.

The project is designed to provide a more efficient service and to streamline the administration of justice in the area.

The scheme, likely to get under way in 2003, will be carried out under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI), which enables private-sector organisations to act as developers on public-sector projects.

Divisional director of Gwent Consultancy Mr Bob Brierley (pictured) said the company was chosen because of its extensive experience of managing PFI projects. The PFI projects in which it has been involved include the £50 million-plus Newport Southern Distributor Road, Sirhowy Enterprise Way and the Llanhilleth Area Regeneration.

Mr Brierley said: "We have developed a strong team of professionals which means we have a broad range of skills and depth of experience to undertake complex and challenging projects, such as the courthouse network redevelopment."

Gwent Consultancy, which is owned jointly by the five local authorities of Gwent, is at present in the process of selecting a private-sector partner with whom to form a joint venture company.

This is part of an ambitious expansion plan, which could create up to 200 new jobs and is believed to be one of the first public-private link-ups of its kind in the UK. Recently GC revealed it had drawn up its final short list of potential partners.

The four-strong list is Pell Frischmann, Parkman, The Babtie Group and The Capita Group.

The firm is also preparing for a move to a £4 million new headquarters building planned for Llantarnam Park, Cwmbran, next year.

The new headquarters will replace the offices that the consultancy currently has in the Crindau area of Newport.