Clarion Housing Association is pursuing a £113m dispute over a three-block residential scheme built by a former Willmott Dixon subsidiary, alleging serious fire-safety defects. The claim says the defects could create a risk of structural collapse, death or serious injury and seeks demolition and rebuild of the scheme.
The article highlights growing concern over punching shear in reinforced concrete flat and transfer slabs, particularly in high-rise and mixed-use buildings. It notes that recent guidance and urgent practice alerts from professional bodies and the Building Safety Regulator are prompting structural reviews, with potential implications for litigation, insurance claims and intrusive investigations.
Administrators for collapsed FK Group Ltd have reported an £8.3m cross-guarantee liability linked to its subsidiaries FK Facades Ltd and FK Construction Ltd. They also said a sale of FK Resolv is being lined up, with any proceeds expected to support a dividend to secured creditor HSBC, while unsecured creditors are unlikely to receive a payout.
Grosvenor has appointed Martin Property Group to refurbish and later operate The Chester Grosvenor, following the planned closure of the hotel due to the cost and complexity of remediating potentially unstable RAAC above function rooms. The project is described as a major, multi-million-pound investment, with refurbishment plans now being developed and the works expected to take around two years once they start, subject to planning.
The New Homes Ombudsman received a sharp increase in complaints over the past year, with cases rising from 593 to 1,802 and a higher proportion of decisions favouring homeowners. The report also shows increased compensation awards, more early resolutions, and ongoing concerns about defects ranging from finish issues to more serious structural and fire-safety failures.
The New Homes Ombudsman Service has reported a sharp rise in formal complaints about new-build properties, with complaints more than tripling year on year and homeowners receiving a higher proportion of favourable decisions. Defects and snagging remain the dominant issues, including cases involving damp, mould, structural problems and fire safety-related defects, while the report also notes that a significant share of new homes still falls outside the scheme.
Councillors have raised concerns about the ethics and procurement implications of a new modular construction company formed by former directors of collapsed firm Merit, which left an NHS hospital project incomplete. The article also reports alleged defects on the Berwick-upon-Tweed hospital scheme, legal action by the trust, and questions over whether the new business should be eligible for further NHS work.
Construction sector administrations fell for a second consecutive month in August, but the monthly total remained elevated compared with the same month in 2023. The article highlights ongoing financial stress among contractors, including insolvencies at Ethical Power Renewables and Avtar Construction, despite some easing in cost pressures.
The Environment Agency is investigating three illegal waste dump sites in the North East, at Peterlee, Hartlepool and Callerton, involving almost 3,500 tonnes of shredded household waste. The sites have been shut down and access blocked while investigations and clean-up planning continue with landowners.
A builder has been jailed for 32 months after admitting multiple fraud offences linked to building and home improvement work across Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire. The case involved abandoned projects, poor workmanship and unsafe conditions, with victims left to pay for remedial works and completion by other contractors.
