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Gleeds is project managing the redevelopment of a 1920s palace belonging to the King of Albania. The scheme in the country's coastal resort town of Durres is at the feasibility stage.

Gleeds is looking at different uses for the building and carrying out market research. The firm is also weighing up various sources of funding. Gleeds head of international Michael Rowley said the building was likely to be turned into a hotel or luxury spa. The developer is local player Alban Zhilliari.

Rowley said Central Europe was a key market for Gleeds. The firm is considering opening further offices in the region, probably in the Balkans. Its existing European offices are in Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, Spain and Ukraine.

Rowley said the key to winning work in Central Europe was employing locals and showing prior experience in the region. The Gleeds Albania office is run by Sandy Blackstock.