A bitter legal battle is brewing between a local council and an architectural firm over the troubled redevelopment of one of Australia’s most famous swimming pools.
North Sydney Council will on Monday consider legal action against Brewster Hjorth Architects (BHA) following a series of budget and timeframe overruns in renovating North Sydney’s historic Olympic Pool.
Located between the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Luna Park, the pool was closed in February 2021 for upgrades costing $58 million and was scheduled for completion in late 2022.
North Sydney City Council now expects the project to be completed by early 2025 at the earliest, while costs have soared to an exorbitant $89.1 million.
The renovation now hinges on the steel roof structure over the 25-metre indoor pool, which was delayed once again after “significant” design and construction issues forced it to be torn down in November.
The executive summary of a confidential report submitted to the council revealed that the council had initiated a dispute resolution process over the delay and cost of the roof.
The issue was sparked when the contracted builder disagreed with the project superintendent’s assessment of BHA’s project variance in June.
However, the two sides failed to reach a middle ground and the council now has the right to take the matter to court.
“The Council may now commence proceedings against BHA if it wishes to assert its claims,” the executive summary reads.
North Sydney City Council could soon take legal action against architects over delays and budget overruns on a project to renovate North Sydney’s historic Olympic Pool (pictured)
Mayor Zoe Baker said the council meeting will detail the potential issue that will be filed in a complaint and instruct the CEO to take legal action.
“I can’t anticipate what the outcome of the vote will be,” Ms. Baker said. The Sydney Morning Herald.
“From my personal perspective, this is part of the council’s commitment to transparency about the project and its management.”
He added that it was the council’s “obligation” to explore its legal options to protect the interests of taxpayers.
Details of the dispute have been kept confidential and will be heard behind closed doors as it is a “trade secret”.
The executive summary also revealed that the firm had requested nine new variances to the project’s completion date and budget since the last meeting in June.
During that same time period, the construction contractor had sent the council a series of requests for information (RFIs) related to “latent conditions, design and contractual issues.”
“A total of 39 RFLs have been submitted since the last report to Council, bringing the total number of RFLs received on the project to 1,419,” the summary reads.
The project has been delayed for more than two years and has cost the city more than $89 million, a figure that could rise to $110 million once completed (pictured: construction of the pool).
Requests were followed up on An additional $1.8 million from the council between March and June.
Those costs include more than $138,000 for “repair work” on a brick wall and more than $226,000 for a “new electronic substation.”
Although “practical completion” of the project is expected to occur early next year, the council said it would need two to three months to make it operational.
The project is estimated to exceed $100 million upon completion, as previous budget overruns forced the council to take out a $20 million loan.
Mayor Baker said in February that the loan would bring the project to between $105 million and $110 million, nearly double the original agreed-upon cost.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted North Sydney City Council and Brewster Hjorth Architects for comment.
