Unnamed main contractor makes claim against in administration PC Harrington Contractors
An unnamed main contractor has launched a claim for £28m against high-profile concrete subbie PC Harrington Contractors, which collapsed into administration in May.
According to documents filed by PC Harrington Contractors Ltd at Companies House, the claim being made by a main contractor “has not been admitted” and is “in dispute.”
The document, a statement of affairs for PC Harrington Contractors, doesn’t say whether a legal claim has been formally lodged in court, and doesn’t offer any explanation of what the claim relates to.
It also says that a subcontractor to the firm has made a separate claim for £1.5m, which is also being disputed.
The document says counter claims have been launched “against each of these commitments”.
The statement of affairs also says PC Harrington Contractors had debts of £28.1m when it fell into administration on May 5. It estimates it will be possible to recover £4m of the firm’s assets, and says overall it is £25.2m short of what it needs to pay creditors back.
Previous documents filed at Companies House estimated the firm had debts to trade creditors of around £28.4m, with the statement of affairs stating that the amounts due have been adjusted as some of the debts have been taken over by the parent company PC Harrington Holdings Ltd and other members of the group.
These figures are not thought to take into account any debts ultimately incurred from the two claims.
The £65m-turnover firm was working for main contractor Mace on the massive mixed-use Nova project in Victoria and its South Bank tower project at the time of going into administration. Mace began talks with contractors J Coffey Construction and Kilnbridge to complete the jobs, after helping PC Harrington pay its suppliers on a number of projects.
PC Harrington also worked on the Design Museum’s new home at the former Commonwealth Insitute, the opening of which was delayed by more than a year, and had a role on the £200m Fitzroy Place job which led to major losses for main contractor Sir Robert McAlpine.
However, a spokesperson for Sir Robert McAlpine said it was not involved in any dispute with PC Harrington. It is not known whether either of the claims relate to any of the other jobs mentioned.
PC Harrington Contractors appointed KMPG at the beginning of May and related business Crystal Formwork was also placed into liquidation.
Parent company PC Harrington Holdings Ltd and group members P&E Harrington Plant Hire Ltd, Structural Systems (UK) Ltd, Slipform International Ltd and Hevilifts Ltd are still trading and are not part of the administration of PC Harrington Contractors or liquidation of Crystal Formwork.
PC Harrington Contractors’ administrator KPMG declined to comment. Mace also declined to comment.
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