One Hyde Park residents win £35m High Court battle over construction defects

Mrs Justice Nerys Jefford ruled that Laing O’Rourke had breached its contract by failing to correctly install insulation around pipework, leading to corrosion. The cost of removing and replacing the majority of the pipework accounts for £34.4 million of the claim and will require residents to vacate their apartments in stages while remedial works are carried out.

In a strongly worded judgment, the judge criticised Laing O’Rourke’s conduct, describing the company as “commercially amoral”. The contractor denied the pipework was defective but failed to send representatives to defend the case at a key hearing.

Lawyers for One Hyde Park Limited, which owns the freehold of the development, said the ruling represents a comprehensive victory. A spokesperson for One Hyde Park said the decision was “a decisive victory for all the residents” and confirmed the freeholder would pursue full recovery of the costs for the defects identified.

Often billed as the “ultimate luxury” development, One Hyde Park contains 86 apartments and is among the most expensive residential addresses in the world, with properties marketed for up to £175 million. However, the ruling highlights the significant risks that construction defects can pose even in the highest-value developments.