Architect Fitzroy Robinson is suing the developer of a Raffles luxury hotel in central London for 拢1.7m over alleged non-payment of fees. The practice, which has a turnover of 拢6.7m, claimed in a High Court writ that it has received no payment since being hired to design the 拢150m Merchant Court Hotel in Westminster in 1998 by British Virgin Islands-based Clementine Investments.
The move has put the future of the project in doubt, although the tenant, Singapore-based Raffles International, says the hotel is still due to open in 2002.
A source close to Fitzroy Robinson said confusion surrounded the future of the 488-room hotel, which is supposed to be built on part of the former Westminster Hospital site near the Houses of Parliament. The source said: 鈥淣obody has a clue what鈥檚 happening. It鈥檚 all up in the air right now.鈥�
The scheme is still awaiting detailed planning permission. A spokesperson at Westminster council鈥檚 planning department said that no work had been carried out on the site for 18 months. She said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 unlikely the hotel scheme is going to go ahead.鈥� This was denied by Raffles International. A spokesperson said: 鈥淎s far as I know, nothing has changed. The development is still progressing and is scheduled to open in 2002.鈥�
Multidisciplinary practice Ove Arup & Partners is also suing Clementine Investments. It is claiming 拢352 500, also for non-payment of fees.
The site, on the corner of Horseferry Road, received outline planning permission in December 1998, two months after Raffles secured a contract to manage the hotel. The development was expected to be the first of Raffles鈥� Merchant Court brand in Europe.
Clementine Investments originally bought the site from developer Ballymore Properties. Ballymore has already developed an 11-storey apartment block and an office building let to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on the site.
