A £3.5 million flats project in Dundee city centre has been delayed further after “significant” issues were identified, The Courier can reveal.
Work began to revamp the eight-storey building on the corner of Seagate and Trades Lane in November 2018.
The plan was to convert the property, which has been empty since 2014, into 28 homes by summer 2020.
In 2019, traffic restrictions near the site were removed by the council due to the slow pace of work, despite the building being surrounded by scaffolding.
Then in spring 2021, George Martin Builders was appointed as the new contractor for the site by Hillcrest Housing, after a parting of ways with Invertay Homes.
Now, a whistleblower has raised further concerns about progress with the development – forcing Hillcrest, which is behind the project, to admit it is facing more delays.
The whistleblower told us: “The works on the Seagate site are not progressing despite the announcement back in April/May of 2021 that a new contractor had been appointed.
“Questions need asked why the work is still so far behind. If the issue was with original developers who were terminated in September 2020 (as was claimed by Hillcrest) why has works not progressed since?”
Progress at Seagate site ‘hampered’ says Hillcrest
The source added: “There are many unanswered questions surrounding the overall situation and how the project went into default in the first instance.”
A spokesman for Hillcrest said: “Following termination of the original contract, progress has been hampered.
“This is as a result of having to arrange for a number of reports to be carried out by independent assessors which has resulted in significant remedial works being identified.
“These are currently being carried out to ensure the building meets both regulatory standards and our own strict safety and quality standards.”
He added: “As a registered housing association, we have a responsibility to deliver safe, good-quality, affordable homes for people in housing need.
“We must adhere to strictly monitored processes, including procurement, and all information related to this is transparent and available to view on request.”
Hillcrest says it is not in a position to give further details on the type of work needed or an updated timescale.
