Gleeson a preferred bidder

Gleeson(M J)Group PLC
04 February 2003



                   GLEESON CONSORTIUM A PREFERRED BIDDER FOR

                      £1.8 BILLION SCOTTISH WATER PROJECT



Scottish Water has announced that the Stirling Water Consortium, comprising M J
Gleeson Group plc, Thames Water, KBR and Alfred McAlpine, is one of the two
preferred bidders who will jointly negotiate the next stage of its £1.8 billion
Asset Delivery Programme of investment to be carried out over four years.



A total of 17 expressions of interest were initially received and, following
several stages of assessment, the number of consortia was reduced from ten to
five to three and finally to two.  Scottish Water has stated that it is hoped
that a contract can be concluded by 1 April 2003.



This latest achievement for Gleeson, the UK market leader in Civil Engineering
for the water sector, follows a number of substantial successes, most notably
the Equip and Trident partnering schemes, worth a combined £230 million,  with
Thames Water.



At 1 January 2003, the forward order book of Gleeson's Construction Services
business exceeded £700 million, of which £440 million related to relatively low
risk partnership agreements.



Dermot Gleeson, Executive Chairman, stated 'This latest success in the sphere of
water-related civil engineering - an area in which Gleeson leads the market - is
a splendid birthday present to mark the Company's centenary.'




Enquiries:

M J Gleeson Group plc                              020-8644 4321
  Dermot Gleeson - Executive Chairman
  David Eyre - Group Managing Director

Bankside Consultants Limited
  Charles Ponsonby                                 020-7444 4166






                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange