Cheshire West: 'Serious defects' found at shopping park

Balfour Beatty was awarded the contract to build the £80m Barons Quay in Northwich in 2014, with construction completed two years later.

But this week, a number of issues have been discovered at the site.

Cracks which have appeared in glass panels at the travelator hall next to Asda and also an aluminium fin, which was part of the design, recently fell down.

Thankfully no-one was injured in the incident. The service road in Weaver Way is also breaking up.

Now Mike Amesbury, who has been informed legal negotiations are ongoing between Balfour Beatty and Cheshire West and Chester Council, has written to the company's CEO Leo Quinn, calling for the defects to be fixed.

Netting at Barons Quay

He said: “Today, just five years after the shopping centre opened in 2016, serious defects are emerging that are not only unsightly but potentially dangerous in some cases.

“For example, I understand some of the glazed panels installed along the façade have failed and consequently cracks have appeared in the travelator hall.

“Additionally, a vertical fin – part of the aesthetic design – fell down in high winds, which could have resulted in a nasty injury if it had hit somebody.

"Now nets have had to be put in place under the suspect glass and fins as a healthy and safety precaution, but it doesn’t look great.

Defects in Weaver Way at Barons Quay

“There are also major defects on the service road in Weaver Way which is breaking up and needs replacing as it’s a trip hazard.”

The MP does not believe such defects are acceptable in ‘a flagship development that is just five years old’.

He added: “The people of Northwich are very proud of where they live and rightly deserve better than this.

“My fear is these issues could deter not only shoppers from visiting Barons Quay but potential tenants from opening new units, depriving the town of valuable investment and employment opportunities.”

Mr Amesbury concluded his letter with: “The current situation is unacceptable and needs addressing immediately. I look forward to hearing from you as a matter of urgency as to how you intend to put these matters right from your company’s own resources.”

Mike Amesbury MP at Barons Quay

A Balfour Beatty spokesperson said: “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."