This week's news that 拢254m-turnover sent reverberations around the industry because it was the biggest construction faller yet in the credit crunch.

Administrator Deloitte will wind up the contracting arm and plans to sell off its housing developments; all very sensible so far.

Presumably all the big housebuilders have had a look. After all, in the words of one City analsyt, "everyone always has a look at everything in situations like this."

But according to an insider, one major housebuilder was invited to cast an eye over the 拢124m-turnover housing business yet was only given a week to make its mind up.

Tricky even when land prices are not in freefall. Sensibly they decided not to proceed.

Whatever the truth - some have pondered who will be in the market for the business.

You can count out Barratt and Taylor Wimpey for a start - who have other concerns right now. Like 拢3.4bn of debt between them.

Some have mentioned Bovis Homes and Galliford Try as possible buyers. Bovis could probably muster the financial muscle.

Meanwhile, there is a feeling that hybrid Galliford is going more down the development route while its peer Kier is headed increasingly .

Whoever goes for it will need longer than a seven days to make their mind up.

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