The troubled £26m Bath Spa project moved a little closer to completion after client, contractor and architect agreed on a solution to its peeling paintwork
Building understands that the scheme's architect, Grimshaw, intends to instruct main contractor Mowlem to remove the failed paintwork and replace it with a two-part epoxy product.

This paint is applied by a specialist subcontractor under controlled conditions, and has been used successfully on a number of similar complexes around Europe owned by Thermae, the operator of Bath Spa.

A spokesperson for Bath and North East Somerset council, the client for the scheme, was unable to comment on the specification.

The scheme, which was due to open in autumn 2002, has been the subject of a legal dispute between the council and Mowlem.

We believe the council’s decision to remove the paint is right

Mowlem spokesperson

This arose after the council was granted an injunction last October stopping Mowlem from denying site access to another contractor, Warings, to test the paintwork.

The Court of Appeal upheld this injunction last Friday and ordered Mowlem to pay the council's legal costs of £22,500.

A spokesperson for Mowlem said the firm's appeal had only been on a "point of law" and had no bearing on the issue of why the paint failed.