‘Understrength concrete’ used in apartment pillar

A report on structural failures at Belfast’s Victoria Square claims that a column was understrength by some 75%. The authors say the failings pose a serious health and safety issue. The companies involved in construction and fitting out of the apartments deny liability. Residents were told to leave the apartments in 2019 due to structural issues.

All 91 of their properties were evacuated five years ago as a result of the safety concerns. The owners had hoped the document would assist them in bringing a legal case against the building and architecture firms involved in the development. However, two weeks ago a bid for compensation by the apartment owners was struck out by a judge at Belfast High Court. The development was a joint venture by building companies Farrans and Gilbert Ash.

Stormont ministers are currently considering whether to alter the law in Northern Ireland to allow claims for defects up to 30 years after completion. They deny liability for the failings in the development. They say they won’t be commenting on specific questions about the concrete used. Gilbert Ash says it carried out only internal fit-out works at the development.

The report also finds the column which splintered at Victoria Square had been further weakened by a defective repair. The authors of the report say too much water and too little cement was used in the mix for some of the concrete at the site. Only a limited number of columns were examined. Authors recommend concrete strength testing should be extended to all “columns, slabs and beams in the building.

If there was understrength concrete used at the site, it is likely that one lorry load would provide enough for between 17 and 25 columns. The residential block sits above shops in Victoria Square centre and part of its underground car park. The report says of the 30 columns examined “over 50%… are affected by understrength concrete and are therefore defective. Steel props have been put in place to try to stabilise the building - at a cost of £1m paid for by the owners.

Concerns are also raised about the design of the building. The architects of the project, Building Design Partnership (BDP), did not comment. Unless these issues are tested in court, and unless there is an adjudication by the High Court in Belfast, then there will be no resolution for all of the homeowners that have been terribly affected.