TV builder facing trial over home mould order (From The Argus)

TV builder facing trial in Brighton court over home mould order

6:20pm Friday 7th September 2012 in News

A building contractor who worked on BBC’s HomeFront home improvement show is accused of failing to comply with a council order – to improve a home.

Adrian Marmont, of Links Road, Worthing, appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court yesterda (September 5).

He denied failing to carry out work on damp, mould and fire safety at a house he owns in Queen’s Park Road, Brighton, earlier this year.

Brighton and Hove City Council , which is bringing the prosecution, says it issued an order on Marmont in January requiring him to start work by January 9 and finish by February 9 this year.

But Len Batten, prosecuting, said: “The order was served on Mr Marmont, being the owner, and required work to be carried out on the premises on damp and mould which was growing as well as on fire precautions. The works were not carried out on the dates and we believe are still not carried out.”

Andrew Judge, defending, told the court Marmont’s defence would be that he had a reasonable excuse relating to a previous lands valuation tribunal on the issue.

The website of Adrian Marmont Construction reads: “Our success has been built on our reputation which led us to work with Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen and Diarmuid Gavin as the builder and project managers on the BBC HomeFront programmes.

“The series was recognised as being the best of its kind, we were given three weeks to complete an interior and garden with project values around £60,000.

“The longstanding series ended after BBC cutbacks but is still shown occasionally where obviously the project manager and builders are the stars.”

HomeFront ran on the BBC from 1996 to 2000. Adrian Marmont Construction has won several awards including FMB Master Builder of the Year.

The case was adjourned for a two-day trial on November 19.