McNair Rd BTO project hits bump as contractor faces financial woes

McNair Rd BTO project hits bump as contractor faces financial woes

Channel 8 reports: Construction at McNair Towers, a Build-to-Order project of 861 residential units, has been halted but HDB says the development is set to be completed on time.

POSTED: 04 Nov 2015 20:23 UPDATED: 04 Nov 2015 20:25

SINGAPORE: The Housing and Development Board (HDB) has said it is looking for a replacement contractor for the McNair Towers Build-to-Order (BTO) project, after the contractor ran into financial issues.

Construction of the 861-unit public housing development at McNair Road has halted since October, said HDB in response to queries from Channel 8 News on Wednesday (Nov 4). The halt came after the contractor, Sembawang Engineers and Constructors, was found to be facing issues in the work process, said HDB, adding that the board had tried to help, but the progress was still “unsatisfactory”.

Thus, HDB said it decided to terminate Sembawang Engineers and Constructors’ services and seek a replacement. Although HDB said it is still looking for a contractor for McNair Towers, it stressed that the project is set to be completed on time - in the fourth quarter of 2016.

Sembawang Engineers and Constructors was awarded the tender for the project in November 2012, said HDB. McNair Towers is the only public housing project which the firm is in charge of, said HDB.

Over the past three years, HDB has terminated the services of contractors on several occasions after the firms went bankrupt, said the board. However, this has not caused delay in construction progress for its projects, HDB added.

McNair Towers was launched for sale in May 2012 and it comprises four blocks of residential units.

- CH8/xq

- wong chee tat :)