A BUILDER threatened with court action over an empty seafront building says he will vigorously contest any legal action.

A leading Redcar and Cleveland Borough councillor said last month that legal proceedings would be taken against the builders and/or the architects involved in the construction of the £570,000 Foreshore building, at Saltburn, built two years ago, but still unoccupied because of damp problems.

Simon Williams, managing director of the builders involved, SGW Construction (Redcar) Ltd, said his company's work on the Foreshore building was strictly in accordance with the contractual specifications and there was no evidence of defective workmanship in respect of this work.

The company has certification from the manufacturer of the waterproofing system used, that its system was correctly and diligently installed.

He said: "I feel the problem we have got as a construction company is, when we were building the Foreshore, our name board was there. Clearly people in the area knew it was us.

"But I strongly refute any suggestion that this company has any liability whatsoever with regard to any alleged defects within this building.''

Councillor Dave Fitzpatrick, cabinet member for leisure with Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, said last month that SGW Construction and architects Jane Darbyshire and David Kendall Limited, of Newcastle, had been given reasonable time to repair the damp.

He said the council would now have to carry out the work itself and take legal action to get its money back.

Mr Williams said that he wanted to assist the council to investigate the difficulties encountered with the Saltburn project.