NORTH-East software company 4Projects is planning to create jobs and increase its £4m-a-year turnover by up to 20 per cent a year following the early completion of Arsenal's £390m stadium on-budget.

The Sunderland firm, which provides computer software to help manage projects, has just completed a contract with Sir Robert McAlpine on Arsenal's new Emirates Stadium.

The firm, part of the Leighton Group, which employs 90 people, is the UK market leader in software for major UK construction projects, but is now planning to branch out into the oil and gas sectors.

Commercial director of 4Projects, Bernie Callaghan, said he hoped branching out beyond the construction sector would increase the company's turnover by between 15 and 20 per cent a year.

4Projects employs 45 people, has created ten jobs in the past year, and is on course to create more as it moves into new sectors.

It has also won contracts to provide project management software on some of the Government's Building Schools for the Future construction projects, including Gateshead College.

Mr Callaghan said the software enabled all partners in a project to check documents, technical drawings and measurements, as they went along, and they received e-mail alerts if anything has changed.

The software helped Arsenal's stadium to be completed two weeks early.

The 60,000-seater stadium has already been hailed as a successful project after taking just over two years to complete.

Richard Vertigan, of 4Projects, said: "We have worked with Sir Robert McAlpine on a range of projects over a number of years - this one is a visible and high-profile success for all concerned. At a time when projects of this nature are in the news for over-running and exceeding budget, we are delighted that we have helped deliver an outstanding stadium."