COUNCIL bosses have said they will have to find a new building firm to complete the Blue Light Hub in Ulverston after issues with the original contractor.

Work on the £4.5m Blue Light Hub on the A590 ground to a halt in August 2018 amid issues between the main contractor Aspect Construction and Cumbria County Council.

Aspect claimed the council had not paid them for unforeseen expenses but one sub-contractor said Aspect had failed to pay them outstanding invoices.

“Aspect got through three lots of groundworkers on the site and that’s never a good sign,” the sub-contractor said.

“Unforeseen costs and a schedule of payment are always drawn into a contract, and especially when you’re working for a client in local government these things are always done to the book with the i’s dotted and the t’s crossed.

“We’re still owed money from Aspect and I’d be surprised if it’s the council’s fault.”

After ground was broken at the site near the Daltongate junction in February 2017 extensive groundworks and a steel frame set the multi-million pound build in motion.

However, the May 2018 completion date was not achieved due to unforeseen ground and site conditions.

Subsequent design issues between the consultant and contractor led to a revised completion date of December 2018.

But in August work was halted on the site as Aspect said they were awaiting payment for expenses which had not been agreed with the council.

No work has been carried out since and the completion date has now been passed.

In August Terry Hearfield, director of Aspect, told The Mail: “There have been a number of extras on the project, we were supposed to get the ground in a certain condition but when we got here it was in a different condition to what we were told.

“We have had barely any recognition for doing that extra work.

“We have to look after our creditors and our staff. We can’t throw money at it.”

The council has now confirmed they will be looking to appoint a new main contractor amid what is understood to be a breach of contract by Aspect.

A spokesman for the council said: “The county council is seeking to appoint a new contractor to complete the works to the Blue Light Hub and works will recommence as soon as possible.”

The Mail has made several attempts to contact Aspect Construction but they have failed to respond to our requests for a comment.