Borough council mulls legal challenge after adjudication on demolished housing

Chesterfield Borough Council is contemplating legal action over what it has said is the unsatisfactory outcome of an adjudication.

The dispute concerned four houses at Boythorpe that had to be demolished after reports of gases and a fire in their foundations.

These had been completed in by May, 2019, but the site stayed closed and the homes were quickly demolished.

An adjudication was held between the council and the unnamed contractor who built the homes but this failed to resolve the issue.

A Chesterfield spokesperson said: “The dispute between the council and one of the contractors engaged at Rufford Close was referred to adjudication and the adjudicator’s decision was received in May 2022.

“However, in the council’s view, the decision did not address elements of the dispute to the council’s satisfaction. 

“The council is now contemplating further legal action through arbitration or through the courts. Therefore, we are unable to comment further at this stage.”

Mark Smulian