A group of contractors, subcontractors, architects and others building professionals are being sued for more than £40m over a blaze that destroyed a retirement home in Crewe in 2019.
Beechmere Retirement Village caught fire in August 2019, probably caused by work being done by a roofing contractor. Most of the property was destroyed and many of the 150 residents lost all of their possessions.
Now, the PFI contractor for the project, the local council and the property’s operator are suing a group of companies responsible for the construction of the property, alleging deficiencies in the design and construction that caused the fire to spread.
The case is due to be heard at the Business and Property Courts division of the High Court in London later this month, according to a preliminary ruling in the case.
According to the ruling, the claimants are: Avantage (Cheshire) Ltd, the PFI contractor for the development of the property; Cheshire East Borough Council, which is the freeholder; and operator Your Housing Ltd.
They are suing contractor GB Building Solutions, which is in administration, architectural firm PRP Architects Holdings Ltd, subcontractor Prestoplan, which designed and installed timber frames and compartment walls, fire engineering consultant WSP and clerk of works Mascot.
According to the ruling, the claimants are alleging deficiencies in the design and construction of the property, including the absence of compartmentation, cavity barriers and sprinklers. They say the design failed to inhibit the spread of the fire.
The hearing is scheduled to last more than a month.
To send feedback, e-mail newsdesk@eg.co.uk or tweet @EGPropertyNews
