Qatari Diar Estate Investment (QD) today met the deadline to get its case in order in the ongoing dispute with Christian Candy’s CPC Group over the £3bn redevelopment of Chelsea Barracks.
QD served its defence and counterclaim in the action, accompanied by a signed statement of truth, by the 10am deadline set by judge Peter Smith J yesterday.
Had it failed to do so, the judge had made an order that it would have been barred from defending the £81m compensation claim brought by CPC Group.
At a brief hearing this morning, the judge approved one minor amendment to QD’s defence, which had been consented to by CPC Group.
The parties also exchanged witness statements ahead of the deadline.
The defence and counter-claim were originally meant to have been served by 19 April.
But after QD’s failure to comply, the judge made the “unless order” yesterday, imposing the strict deadline of 10am today.
The judge is scheduled to begin his reading in the case on 13 May ahead of a trial start date on 18 May.
The trial is expected to last 10 days.
