In another setback for the Ardmore Construction group, Mr Justice Constable has rejected an application for additional time to pay, ordering the companies to satisfy the adjudication award within 14 days.
The Technology and Construction Court ruled there was no realistic prospect of overturning last month’s landmark judgment, which used Building Liability Orders under the Building Safety Act 2022 to extend liability beyond Ardmore Construction — now in administration — to associated group companies.
The judge dismissed all five appeal grounds raised by the Ardmore firms, including claims that the court had acted prematurely by issuing an “anticipatory” Building Liability Order before liability had been fully determined at trial.
Constable said the defendants were largely attempting to revisit arguments that had already been rejected and had failed to demonstrate that the earlier ruling was “plainly wrong.”
Crest Nicholson was also awarded 5% interest dating back to September 2025, together with full recovery of its legal costs.
Following the decision, Ardmore confirmed it still intends to apply directly to the Court of Appeal.
The case — Crest Nicholson v Ardmore — is rapidly becoming one of the most significant early tests of the Building Safety Act, with the courts signalling that associated group companies may be held financially responsible for historic construction defects.
If the appeal proceeds, the outcome could set an important precedent on how far liability under the legislation can extend across contractor group structures and who ultimately bears the cost of remediation claims.