Syntax error present in configure not present on local Ubuntu machine

Hello,

I am attempting to build the latest version of libqb (https://github.com/asalkeld/libqb) on launchpad. I am able to build it successfully on my local Ubuntu 12.04 amd64 machine with the following debian/rules:
%:
        dh $@
override_dh_auto_configure:
        export prefix=/usr
        ./autogen.sh
        ./configure --prefix=/usr --includedir=${prefix}/include --mandir=${prefix}/share/man --infodir=${prefix}/share/info --sysconfdir=/etc --localstatedir=/var --libexecdir=${prefix}/lib/libqb

However, when I upload the package to be built on Launchpad, it fails with this error:
https://launchpadlibrarian.net/133110047/buildlog_ubuntu-precise-amd64.libqb_0.14.4-4_FAILEDTOBUILD.txt.gz
./configure: line 16848: syntax error near unexpected token `CHECK,'
./configure: line 16848: `PKG_CHECK_MODULES(CHECK, check >= 0.9.4,with_check=yes,with_check=no)'
make[1]: *** [override_dh_auto_configure] Error 2

The "check" package is not installed on my local machine. I added it as a build-depends to the package, but even that did not help when building it on Launchpad. What is different on Launchpad that is preventing this from building?

Thanks