FAULTY glazing will be replaced at Northwich’s Barons Quay after an agreement was reached with developers.
Balfour Beatty accepted responsibility for replacing affected glass across Barons Quay, where the public is currently protected by netting underneath the suspect panels.
The company reached an agreement with Cheshire West and Chester Council, who commissioned the £80m retail scheme in 2014, following months of legal negotiations.
Balfour Beatty says a naturally occurring impurity is likely causing a ‘very small proportion’ of the glass not to perform as expected.
Cllr Sam Naylor, whose Witton ward covers the town centre, has been keeping up the pressure on the developer to put matters right, along with Weaver Vale MP Mike Amesbury.
Cllr Naylor said: “Cheshire West and Chester Council and their partners Balfour Beatty have been in a legal dispute regarding the safety issue with all the glass in Barons Quay.
“It’s pleasing to note there’s now been a resolution.
“Clearly a large number of replacement glass panels have got to be ordered and put into place, so we don’t know how long that’s going to take.
“But at least we’ve got acceptance of responsibility and the fact it’s got to be put right.”
Other build defects have included rainwater leaking into some of the units although CWaC says the developer has made ‘meaningful progress’ in addressing this issue.
An area still not resolved is who is responsible for repairs to the Weaver Way service road where paving stones have broken up.
Weaver Way service road (Image: Supplied)
Mike Amesbury MP has written to Balfour Beatty demanding it carries out all necessary repairs at its own expense.
He said: “Balfour Beatty was awarded the contract to build the £80m retail scheme in 2014.
“Serious defects should not be emerging just seven years after the shopping centre opened in 2016.
“I’m pleased Balfour Beatty is now covering the cost of the glazing repairs.
“But I would call on them to do the right thing and fix the defective service road out of their own pocket.”
A Balfour Beatty spokesperson previously told the Guardian: “As a responsible contractor, we take such matters very seriously and since being made aware of the issues at the Barons Quay development, we have been working closely with Cheshire West and Chester Council to agree a programme of remedial works.”
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