Judge has now awarded museum more than 拢2m from Manchester-based AEW due to project鈥檚 major technical problems

Liverpool Museum

Museum of Liverpool architect AEW has been ordered to pay a further 拢1.24m in damages under a new court ruling over the troubled project.

Last month, Judge Mr Justice Akenhead awarded the museum 拢1.1m in compensation because of major technical faults with its outside steps, seats and terraces.

Three-quarters of this cost is to be bourne by Manchester-based practice AEW after the judge said that joint venture contractor Pihl Galliford Try (PGT) should bear responsibility for 25% of the 鈥渃ommon damage鈥 considered.

Today鈥檚 ruling considered damages associated with flaws with some of the ceilings within the museum, which AEW has already admitted responsibility for.

The museum鈥檚 executive director Sharon Granville said: 鈥淟ast month the court found in favour of National Museums Liverpool on all counts.

鈥淲e are very pleased with this latest settlement. In total we鈥檝e had more than 拢2.3m awarded to us in damages with further sums in indemnities on top of that. Interest and costs will be awarded in October. 

鈥淭his is great news for our visitors as it means we can rectify long-standing issues with the building and make areas accessible to the public in the near future.鈥

The 拢72m building - the largest newly built national museum in the UK for more than a century - opened in summer 2011 but has seen areas including the outside steps and terraces cordoned off for safety reasons ever since.

AEW was unavailable for comment, but reacting to last month鈥檚 verdict, Steve Burne, the firm鈥檚 managing director said he was 鈥渄isappointed鈥 with the outcome, but that it was being dealt with by AEW鈥檚 insurers and did not affect the ongoing health of the business.

鈥淲e take criticism seriously,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e pride ourselves on outstanding levels of service, a fact borne out by over 95% of our business being for repeat clients. The management structure of the company has completely changed since the events of 2009 and we have moved in a different direction in the last four years.鈥