Among clients left stranded by the collapse of Westridge Construction is Adur District Council.
Westridge typically works for public sector clients in healthcare, education and housing. Its latest accounts show turnover of £28m for the year to 28th February 2022 and £853,000 pre-tax profit.
It had been working on a development of 49 new homes in Southwick for Adur District Council since 2021. The council said it was now considering how best to get the development completed – whether to bring in another building contractor who would be able to pick up the work quickly, organise a managing contractor who would manage the final pieces of delivery or adopt the last stages of development management itself.
None of the options being considered will increase the cost of the project to us because of insurance put in place before work began, in the form of a performance bond, the council said.
Council leader Neil Parkin said: “The collapse of Westridge Construction is extremely sad news for the company and all of the staff involved and we hope a solution can be found that allows them to continue working in some form.
“We have insurance to protect the council in such circumstances so the issue will not increase the cost of the project but it will inevitably delay its completion.
“We hope to learn more about the situation from the administrators over the coming days so the final few weeks of construction work on the development can be completed and we can provide new council homes for residents in need of somewhere to live.”
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