No cash for Chelsea Barracks group

Property developer Christian Candy will not receive any money after a High Court judge ruled on his multimillion-pound claim over the Chelsea Barracks development in London.

Mr Justice Vos ruled that Mr Candy’s Qatari partners in the project breached the terms of their agreement when they withdrew planning permission following the intervention of the Prince of Wales.

But the judge said that under the terms of the contract, Mr Candy’s business, CPC Group, was not entitled to receive early payment of £68.5 million.

He added that if CPC decided to seek damages for the breach of the contract he would consider the issue at a later hearing.

Mr Justice Vos admitted that both CPC and Qatari Diar Real Estate, the partners in the development, “were faced with a very difficult position once the Prince of Wales intervened in the planning process”.

“His intervention was, no doubt, unexpected and unwelcome.”

Last month the judge heard how the Qatari company had withdrawn the planning application for the modernist development in the wake of Charles’ letter to the chairman of Qatari Diar, who is also the prime minister of Qatar.

The prince said his “heart sank” when he saw the design for the Chelsea Barracks by architect Lord Rogers.

Mr Candy claimed the Qatari company breached the terms of their contract and must make a payment that was due if the scheme by Lord Rogers was approved by the planners.

IBB has one of the largest real estate groups in the South East, with expertise in commercial development, residential development, real estate finance, real estate investment and management, construction and real estate litigation. Contact a member of the team by visiting the relevant service page, or you can call us on 08456 381 381 or email enquiries@ibblaw.co.uk.