This post was originally published on this site

Adur District Council has revealed that unforeseen issues caused by the collapse of the original contractor to a housing development facing Shoreham Harbour in Southwick has added further delays and an extra £1.1m in costs.

Westridge Construction began work on a block of 49 council flats in Albion Street, Southwick in 2021 but stopped when the contractor collapsed into administration in September 2023. With the project thought to be around six months from completion. Cheesmur Building Contractors was engaged in January 2024 to finish off.

However, unforeseen problems inherited by Cheesmur included water damage caused by incomplete cladding, as well as other examples of poor construction work by Westridge that have had to be rectified.

An added complexity for the project has been the challenge of complying with the new Building Safety Act without the support of the original contractor, the council said. The act, which came into force after work on Albion Street had begun, puts additional responsibilities on the owners of taller structures like this.

In a statement, the council said: “While the Albion Street homes haven’t required any adaptations, the law says we must develop an electronic database detailing the safety features of the building, including its design and ongoing maintenance. The collapse of Westridge has meant that the level of detail required is not easily accessible, so we are working closely with the team from Cheesmur to pull that information together.”

It added: “The additional work and time taken to complete the building means we’re now having to invest a further £1.1m into the project so that it can be completed.

“We understand how challenging the delays have been for residents waiting to move into the new homes. We’re working hard to ensure that the first tenants are able to move into their properties early in the new year.”

Got a story? Email [email protected]