The design, engineering and project management consultancy said in a statement that a resolution to approve the appointment of KPMG will be put to shareholders at its annual general meeting to be held in 2017, with the firm taking over for the financial year ending 31 March 2018.

In order to ensure an orderly transition to KPMG, a resolution to re-appoint PwC for the financial year ending 31 March 2017 will be put to shareholders at this year’s annual general meeting.

The proposed change of independent auditor follows a recent recommendation by the audit committee. In its 2015 annual report, WS Atkins said it would be carrying out a formal competitive tender process early in 2016, in order to meet the requirements for FTSE 350 companies to put the independent audit contract out to tender at least once every 10 years.

PwC has been the company’s auditor since WS Atkins listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1996. According to the annual report, the firm was paid £1.40m in fees for audit work, and £2.20m for non-audit work in 2015.

The audit committee report states that approximately 52% (£1.14m) of the non-audit fees incurred related to services provided in connection with an unsuccessful acquisition pursuit and approximately 44% (£0.96m) to taxation compliance services.

The audit committee goes on to say that in relation to the services provided in connection with the unsuccessful acquisition pursuit, certain of the services were required to be performed by an independent accountant and it was considered efficient to appoint a single advisor to provide these and the associated accountancy services. PwC was appointed given it was the incumbent independent auditor.

It was considered appropriate to engage PwC’s services in regards to the taxation compliance services in light of its detailed understanding of the group and specialist expertise in these areas.