BNFL in legal review over Sellafield job

Architectural practice David Marks Julia Barfield and exhibition consultancy Brennan & Whalley are to attend a legal review on 9 April, following the designer’s failure to pay the architect 9000 in fees.

Brennan & Whalley sub-contracted the practice to design features at BNFL’s Sellafield nuclear power station visitors’ centre last year (DW 16 June 1995).

David Marks Julia Barfield was not paid, as BNFL claimed the practice had not completed the project. BNFL refused to pay Brennan & Whalley the full fee. The practice then took legal action against Brennan & Whalley (DW 28 July 1995).

Brennan & Whalley is now considering bringing BNFL into the legal battle. “We are left with no alternative other than to bring BNFL in as a third party – and are doing so,” says director Jean Brennan.

However, she denies that the consultancy will “join forces” with the architects against BNFL.

According to the practice’s joint director David Marks, Brennan & Whalley “told us that if the case came to trial they would join forces with us against BNFL,” says Marks.

A trial date is likely to be set as a result of the 9 April meeting.