BURY environmental engineering firm, Leyden Kirby, is undergoing a major business restructure that will see it open two new offices and create over 20 new posts this year.

The overhaul comes in response to burgeoning demand for its engineering solutions and will mean separating its core contaminated land and asbestos management consultancy, now named Leyden Kirby Associates, from its project management, contracting and safety inspection operations. These three specialist divisions have been split into new companies, under the umbrella organisation, LK Group.

LK Management will provide project management services to the property development and land use industries, while LK Pollution Response will offer practical help for land contamination issues including fly tipping, oil, chemical and effluent spillages, and plant infestations. LK Accreditation will work with utilities companies, local authorities and developers to offer testing and inspection services for gas, electrical and water supply installations.

The restructure will see former director, Dr Scott Elliott, take over as group managing director from Patrick Leyden who will become group chairman. Co-founder Phil Kirby becomes group secretary while newly appointed director Conor Leyden head up LK Management and LK Pollution Response, and Will Chambers becomes director of LK Accreditation.

Dr Elliott said: "We're refocusing our ambitions on growing each of our core businesses individually and will concentrate on building our team and spreading our reach across the UK so that we can match demand for our services.

"We want to capitalise on what is the fastest growing market in Europe by creating a company that has the capacity and expertise to act on new opportunities."

The firm, located at the Bury Business Centre in Kay Street, recently relocated its Liverpool arm to new city centre offices and is opening a new office in Glasgow, headed by Dr Robert Muir. It plans to open a fourth office in Staffordshire later this year.

Aggressive clean-up and redevelopment campaigns in the North West have boosted demand for the firm's services.

Dr Elliott continued: "We're responding to a demand from clients to use our extensive industry knowledge to deliver the full solution. We're in a healthy position, having grown our offering steadily in the last six years, and are excited about the tremendous opportunities this expansion will enable us to pursue."