Carillion walks off WalesÔÇÖ tallest tower

Construction on WalesÔÇÖ tallest residential building has been halted amid a dispute over money with the contracting construction company Carillion.┬á Carillion is one of the UKÔÇÖs biggest construction companies with 50,000 employees, and while the 29-storey Meridian Quay Tower is only two months from completion, Carillion has confirmed it is withdrawing from the ┬ú70 million project. Developer Ferrara Quay Limited is looking to employ another construction company to complete the last section of work.┬á Carillion workers and sub-contractors, including electricians, painters and decorators, walked off site on April 3 and had been employed in constructing the impressive development since August 2006.┬á It is estimated the building is 95 percent complete with only three of the 123 modern apartments have yet to be sold. The Tower, nearly 110 metres high, overlooks Swansea Marina and Bay and apartments there cost from ┬ú109,000 to nearly ┬ú500,000 for a penthouse. Dawsons, the selling agents involved in the scheme, said they ÔÇ£were not at liberty to discuss what happenedÔÇØ or go into reasons why work had stopped.  A spokeswoman for Ferrara Quay Limited said the aim was to ÔÇ£regroupÔÇØ after Carillion halted their involvement. ÔÇ£A dispute arose in recent weeks between Ferrara Quay and Carillion,ÔÇØ she said. ÔÇ£Unfortunately, a resolution to this dispute could not be found and as a consequence Carillion exercised their right to determine the building contract on Friday, April 3, despite the fact Carillion had been paid in full under the terms of their contract with Ferrara Quay.ÔÇØ┬á A spokeswoman for the contractor would not comment on the payment row, but said, ÔÇ£We have determined our contract and are in the process of withdrawal on site.ÔÇØ About 100 builders are currently employed on the scheme, and workers have spent the past week removing scaffolding and equipment from the site.┬á  One worker at the site is quoted saying, ÔÇ£ItÔÇÖs a shame for Swansea and a shame for Wales. It was so close to completion.  ÔÇ£We are confident completion of the project will be achieved in the near future because construction is at an advanced stage and this is a high-quality, prestigious and landmark development.ÔÇØ   The developer admitted the withdrawal would result in a delay, but said it had every intention of completing the tower.