LORD McAlpine of Moffat, head of the building and construction family

and a major influence on the nuclear power industry, has died, aged 82.

Robert Edwin McAlpine, known as Sir Edwin before being made a life

peer 10 years ago, was the grandson of Sir Robert McAlpine, the firm's

founder.

Under his direction, the firm constructed many landmark buildings,

including the National Theatre and the Shell Centre on London's South

Bank.

He was born on April 23, 1907 and went into the family business in

1925 after leaving Oundle School, becoming a partner three years later

and subsequently a director.

His background in civil engineering led to him becoming deputy

chairman of the Nuclear Power Plant Company and later chairman. He was

also deputy chairman of the Nuclear Power Group and British Nuclear

Associates.

For the past four years he was a vice-president of the National

Children's Home.

Lord McAlpine's main recreation was horse racing. He ran his own stud

and farmed at his home in Henley-on-Thames, Oxford.

He inherited the family baronetcy from his brother Thomas in 1983 but

was also made a life peer in his own right.

His first wife, Mollie, by whom he had three sons and a daughter, died

in 1987. Eleven months later he married Mrs Nancy Hooper, his former

sister-in-law.

His eldest son, William, will succeed to the baronetcy.