Employing the existing Forrest team, Vermont will immediately take over the construction of the project which comprises 142 homes and more than 1,000 student beds. Tony McDonough reports

Work is to resume immediately on a £100m development site in Liverpool city centre after the developer moved to replace the original contractor.

Elliot Group had contracted Bolton-based Forrest Construction to build its Aura project which comprises 142 homes and more than 1,000 student beds and is already fully sold out.

However, Forrest has suffered well-publicised financial problems in recent weeks, a crisis that is still ongoing, and now Elliot founder, Elliot Lawless, has moved swiftly to replace the firm with another contractor, Liverpool-based Vermont.

Vermont will step in immediately, employing the existing Forrest site team. Mr Lawless said: “They’re an excellent bunch of lads and I’m delighted that Vermont has ensured their Christmases won’t be spoilt.”

Last week, Elliot Group also replaced Forrest on its £70m twin-tower Residence project in Salford with another construction firm, Careys. The tower crane has gone up on site this week.

Mr Lawless added: “Our priority has always been to protect the interests of our investors and I’m pleased that we have put this issue behind us and can focus on delivering two great schemes for them. 

“We’ve got a little bit of ground to make up in terms of schedule, but we’ve got a team in place well capable of getting us back on track.”

The move comes a week after Elliot Group announced the purchase from receivers of the abandoned Pall Mall project on the northern edge of Liverpool’s business district. The company is promising the knock down the original framework and return to planners in the spring with a larger and more ambitious mixed-use scheme.