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Carillion was way ahead of its rivals in the contractors' monthly league in April, thanks to the Ministry of Defence's Allenby and Connaught project, which has finally reached financial close. It will be worth 拢12bn over its 35 year life.

The 拢616m initial phase of the contract will involve the redevelopment of garrisons at Aldershot and across Salisbury Plain. Carillion inherited Allenby and Connaught from Mowlem, which it bought for 拢313m in February. The contract was an important factor behind the acquisition, as it was considered the most attractive element of Mowlem's portfolio.

Overall, Carillion topped the April league with five wins worth 拢663m; Bovis Lend Lease took second place with contracts worth a mere 拢300m.

But it wasn't just the public sector that boosted contractors last month. Bovis Lend Lease's second place position was the result of winning three contracts in the commercial sector worth a total of 拢300m.

That was more than double the amount won by third-placed Balfour Beatty, which bagged 拢130m of building work in March, divided into 77 contracts. Its successes were achieved across housing, public sector non-housing work, and commercial sector work, but its single biggest win was a 拢35m Decent Homes project for client Hammersmith and Fulham Housing Management Services.

Laing O'Rourke made it to fourth place in April after not featuring anywhere in the top 30 in the previous month. It won five projects worth 拢121m, predominantly in the public sector. Among its notable wins was a 拢25m project on behalf of the National Blood Service Laboratory in Bristol.

In the cumulative annual league, much stayed the same in the top 10, as Balfour Beatty, Bovis Lend Lease and Kier continued to dominate the top three positions.

However Carillion moved up three places to fourth, thanks to its army work, which took its total wins to 拢1.68bn.

On the flipside, Costain slipped three places; it has a 56 contracts worth a total of 拢1.14bn under its belt.

Further down the annual table Morrison jumped seven places to 14 with 112 contracts worth 拢575m. That was because it was the biggest winner of civils contracts in April overall, with seven contracts worth a combined 拢224m.

The Durkan Group jumped 12 places to 29th in the annual league with projects worth a total of 拢202m. Last month it won four building contracts worth 拢72m but by far its biggest win was a 拢68m housing project for Genesis Housing Group in west London.

After Morrison, the biggest winner in civils was Balfour Beatty, with 拢164m of projects.

Overall, public sector building work dominated the market last month, with 拢1.17bn of contracts awarded, followed by the commercial sector with 拢758m.