Hospital projects concern as Buildplan struggles

Construction group National Buildplan has been put into administration, casting doubt on the future of 180 jobs and tens of millions of dollars worth of projects around the country.

Insolvency firm BRI Ferrier was called in late on Monday afternoon after work was stopped on projects run by the family owned NSW company, including a $65 million expansion of the Port Macquarie Base Hospital and a redevelopment at Dubbo Base Hospital.

The move is expected to end a joint venture with Watpac on the Port Macquarie project, with Watpac hoping to become the sole contractor.

BRI Ferrier is expected to make an announcement on Tuesday about National Buildplan's other operations, which employ at least 180 people in NSW, Queensland and Western Australia.

The company, owned by William Robert Wheeler and Tonia Jane Wheeler, made a net profit of $1.09 million from $152.41 million in revenue in the 2011-12 financial year. It had expected to make a turnover of more than $188 million this financial year.

The collapse comes amid mounting complaints that subcontractors were not being paid. Last week, Minister for Mental Health Kevin Humphries said the group had confirmed, in a statutory declaration, that all legal entitlements on the Dubbo project had been paid.