Residents of Britain's most exclusive and expensive apartment complex, One Hyde Park in Knightsbridge, have secured a significant legal victory but now confront a prolonged period of major building works within their homes. The celebrity and billionaire owners this week won a High Court battle worth £35 million against a subsidiary of the construction giant Laing O'Rourke, concerning defective pipework that has plagued the development for years.
A Costly Victory with Ongoing Consequences
Despite the successful lawsuit, the win comes with a substantial catch for the affluent occupants. They now face the prospect of having to vacate their floors while highly complex remedial work is carried out to rectify the faulty plumbing systems. The necessary repairs will involve taking down ceilings within the apartments, a process described as invasive and disruptive.
Details of the Legal Battle and Defects
Mrs Justice Jefford ruled at the High Court that Laing O'Rourke Construction South Limited was in breach of contract. The judge found that the firm failed to properly install insulation on pipework, leading to corrosion. This defective installation was responsible for a staggering 46 leaks from soldered joints between 2017 and 2022 alone, a direct result of what experts termed 'a failure in workmanship'.
Alarmingly, estimates suggest that without correction, the development could suffer a further ten leaks every year for the next decade. The faulty pipework constituted £34.4 million of the total claim's value. A spokesperson for One Hyde Park described the court's ruling as 'a decisive victory for all the residents' and affirmed their commitment to holding Laing O'Rourke fully accountable.
Developer Background and Resident Profile
The iconic One Hyde Park was developed by billionaire property tycoon and Reform UK party treasurer Nick Candy, alongside his brother Christian. The complex, within walking distance of Harrods, has commanded astronomical prices since its completion, with the first apartment selling for £140 million. Nick Candy, married to Australian singer Holly Valance, is reported to still own a penthouse in the block.
The resident list reads like a who's who of the global elite. Past and present owners have included Ukrainian billionaire and football club owner Rinat Akhmetov, Kazakh singer Anar Aitzhanova, Sheikh Mohammed Saud Sultan al-Qasimi of Sharjah, and Australian pop icon Kylie Minogue.
Controversial Corporate Actions and Stalemate
The legal proceedings were marked by controversy. Laing O'Rourke wound down the defendant subsidiary just one week before the trial was set to begin in February 2025. Lawyers for One Hyde Park accused the firm of deciding to 'pull the plug on the defendant rather than honour its contractual obligations', an action they labelled as 'commercially amoral'—a characterisation with which Judge Jefford agreed.
According to reports, attempts at an out-of-court settlement over the last decade repeatedly failed. Laing O'Rourke stated it had made multiple offers to fix the pipework, including an offer to undertake remedial work for free. However, residents reportedly found the terms 'unacceptable'. A source indicated a key sticking point was residents' reluctance to place valuable artwork and furniture into storage, coupled with Laing O'Rourke's unwillingness to accept liability for any damage during repairs.
A spokesman for Laing O'Rourke said the defendant subsidiary had 'spent almost a decade trying to find an amicable resolution' and had initiated extensive negotiations. Despite this week's ruling, the path forward for the luxury development involves a decade of disruptive works, underscoring that even a multi-million pound court win cannot immediately restore peace for its billionaire inhabitants.
