A BUILDING firm is eyeing a busy year after bolstering it order book to the tune of nearly £10m.

Surgo Construction is working on projects across the housing, healthcare and education sectors.

The company has secured five deals, including a £950,000 project to refurbish and extend Polam Hall School, in Darlington.

The Newcastle-based firm is also carrying out £3.4m work to build properties for affordable housing provider, Isos, across North Tyneside, and has a £1.8m order to carry out further housing work for a private developer in the same area.

Further agreements include another £1.8m deal to refurbish and remodel a ward at Rake Lane Hospital, in North Shields, North Tyneside, which will create an endoscopy unit comprising theatres, washrooms, wards and nursing areas.

In Darlington, the business has been appointed to extend and refurbish older buildings and deliver additional general and science teaching rooms as Polam continues its transition from an independent school to free school.

Jeff Alexander, Surgo director, said the work is reflective of rising confidence in the construction sector after the economic downturn.

He said: “We are thrilled to be getting 2016 off to such a positive start.

“The year ahead is looking busy and we are confident of another successful year of trading after our turnover for last year was restored to its pre-recession levels at around the £35m mark.”

Mr Alexander added Surgo’s work will also include a project for Riba Enterprises, a construction sector support body, to refurbish, upgrade and redevelop the grade II-listed Old Post Office and Red Box Studios building, in St Nicholas Street, Newcastle.

Bosses say the work, which includes extending office space and creating meeting space and a lecture theatre, will potentially allow Riba to lift its workforce from 160 to 210.

The work is due to start next month.

Surgo has years of experience in delivering projects across the region.

It was previously tasked with work to expand Middlesbrough College’s Sixth Form Centre, which bosses said would allow the site to take on an extra students and increase A-level courses.

The business was also main contractor in work to overhaul Newcastle’s Theatre Royal and delivered The Palace Hub, in Redcar, which forms part of the town’s seafront redevelopment and includes offices and exhibition space.