Cladding: Redrow fails to get Cardiff court case dismissed

Cardiff Bay's Celestia complex consists of seven buildings containing 450 flats

Leaseholders will continue building a legal case to sue a construction company over building defects after it failed to have the case thrown out.

Redrow contracted Laing O'Rourke between 2005 and 2007 to build the Celestia complex in Cardiff Bay.

Tests found faults including "very poor or non-existent" fire barriers between flats.

A judge at Cardiff Civil Justice Centre ruled several claims by about 40 leaseholders would not be struck out.

The multi-million pound case against Redrow is the first legal case put forward against a developer to fix fire safety defects in the scandal of unsafe homes, following the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Celestia is made up of seven buildings containing more than 450 flats.

External cladding was found not being up to standard and, in 2019, the fire service ordered repairs as it was deemed so unsafe.

A settlement agreement of £1.5m was reached between Redrow and the management of the complex in 2020.

Some remedial works have been carried out, but claimants argue fixing it will cost £12m.

'Writing on the wall'

Judge Andrew Keyser QC said the claimants should give further information setting out each and every defect ahead of the next legal proceedings.

Claimant Gareth Wilson said Celestia Management, which runs the complex, had already written to Redrow inviting them to get on with repairs.

"The writing is on the wall for developers' delay and prevarication, we expect to see Redrow boots on the ground at Celestia by later this year.

"Leaseholders can breath a little easier tonight - assuming fire doesn't break out," he said.

Redrow said: "We note the findings of today's judgement which requires the claimants to set out their case more clearly as required by the court.

"The legal proceedings cover a number of issues, including those that are unrelated to life critical fire safety.

"We have provided significant financial support to the management company at Celestia and have consistently said that we believe the housebuilding industry should play its part in resolving the issue of legacy fire safety in high rise buildings and that the financial burden should not be borne by leaseholders."