Building Harlow’s Future?: Not on Innovation Park as construction company ceases trading
Business / Tue 26th May 2026 at 07:50am
A CONSTRUCTION company involved in the development of a major scheme in Harlow has gone into administration.
London building and fitout contractor Curo Construction has ceased trading reported Construction Enquirer.
They were the construction company involved in the Identity Harlow development opposite David Lloyd’s in the Innovation Park in Newhall.
Back in December, YH was there for the photo call with all the key partners.
But now it looks like Building Harlow’s Future has been delayed on that side of town. The site has sat empty for weeks.
We asked Harlow Council for a comment. In fact, we specially asked if this latest development will affect construction in any way?
A Harlow Council spokesperson said: “The Identity Scheme is an exciting part of the wider Innovation Park, which continues to go from strength to strength. This includes the opening of the £25m David Lloyd Harlow in December and the announcement in March of an agreement for the multi-million development of the final plot in the park.
“The Identity Scheme developer, Wrenbridge, has worked with the council on other projects and is nationally recognised for delivering high-quality, multi-million pound developments such as the Identity Scheme.
“The scheme will provide significant benefits and opportunities for both Harlow and the Innovation Park once complete.”
David Forman
2026-05-26 08:00:18
As published in the Telegraph today this due to increased supply chain costs driven by the Iran war and Labour government's increased taxes. See https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/05/25/hundreds-construction-firms-risk-collapse-reeves/
Adam
2026-05-26 08:08:35
Yet more victims of labour government and their increases in the cost of employment and overall economic destruction.
Seamus
2026-05-26 17:36:55
What has been playing on my mind is, this company filed for bankruptcy on the 1st of May. Dan Swords gave a five minute speech at the council meeting on the 21st of May but made no reference to Curo going into administration, none. This leave's only two possible trains of thought. Either Dan knew a key developer had gone bust and chose not to tell anyone at the council meeting on the 21st or, he had no idea that a key developer had gone bust because there is no joined up thinking going on with Harlows projects? I wouldn't mind knowing also, did Harlow council make any payments to Curo shortly before the 1st of May and were there any payments made between the 1st of May and the 21st of May?
Brenda Joyce Elliott
2026-05-27 09:24:04
Can always put up more blue plywood and spray paint and leave it 15 year's.
Resident for many years
2026-05-27 13:15:37
Well said Brenda,with pretty (awful,,) murals
Mr George
2026-05-27 16:58:03
David, Adam. They were 49 million down ending 2024. Before Labour's NI came into effect.
adam
2026-05-28 06:42:28
My George I am not excusing the shower that is the conservatives either, but the labour punitive and idiotic tax raises were what pushed a struggling firm over the edge.
glen pope
2026-05-28 08:36:33
ok so where is young dan with all the answers to this? this is just the start of a big fall next it will be the market square that falls behind and that massive store thats coming to harlow to cause traffic mayhem will pull out trust me
Mr George
2026-05-28 09:07:40
Adam, seems that this company was mismanaged and if had been healthier maybe would have ridden out the storm of the war and the extra 1.2% on national insurance for their 100 odd staff. Am all for blaming gov's when its due, no matter the colour but looks like mistakes were made way before the issues now affecting businesses, especially as this business is in a sector with high demand.
Seamus
2026-05-28 12:30:32
This is the concern I have. Mr George said "They were 49 million down ending 2024". Now, if everyday residents of Harlow can find this out, why couldn't a huge entity such as Harlow council ? Would curo have been awarded a council contract knowing that form was already £49 million in debt? I'm inclined to think not but from a scam application to open childrens homes to contracts worth millions, it seems Harlow council has a problem with due dilligence. It is not unreasonable for residents to be concerened about just what other contracts might fail. This could be explained of course by the council leader who before the election, was everywhere but now he seems to have become the invisible man. I think it would settle the nerves if Dan raised his head above the parapet, explain what has gone wrong, the time line and answer are we at risk of any more contractors with Harlow council contracts, about to go under?
Guy Flegman
2026-05-28 13:56:32
This is the risk you run when always using the lowest bidder instead the best bidder. Paying more upfront often results in cost savings down the road, but many bean counter( especially in the public sector) never take this into account. BTW this company may not have been badly run as the pandemic all but destroyed any companies that make anything
Mr George
2026-05-28 14:29:14
Seamus, don't think 49 million in debt, 49 million down in turnover and profits down 2/3rds. Something has gone wrong within the company imo. I am less than impressed with the council's response, not addressing YH's question as well as not putting out any form of statement when the company went bust 2 weeks ago. They were given a vote of confidence in the last elections, the people of Harlow deserve better than evasive statements.
Stuart G
2026-05-29 07:39:50
Dan and the council have been awfully quiet about this and I've asked both several times for a comment but, unsurprisingly, as it's not a good news story they have been deafening in their silence. I want to know if we have lost money on this contract because they've gone bust and what the plan is for rectification.
Seamus
2026-05-29 12:51:29
Thank you for clarifying the £49 million Mr George. Only 4 weeks ago Dan was saying if he didn't get a majority in the council then everything in Harlow would stop. He got the new majority and it's still stopped. Before the election, some of the regular posters were locked into an almost cult like mantra of " Dan Dan he's our man if anyone can do it, Dan can". Like Dan, their silence is also noticeable. What we do know, Dan is incredibly thin skinned and avoids or diverts genuine concerns. There has been multiple occasions when multiple individuals/groups have asked for clarity, openess in and around the multiple projects Dan was claiming. Burnt mill development for example that even now, most haven't got a clue what has happened there. Residents have a right to ask, as most of us were fully aware of the residents problems in Thurrock by councillors who thought they were free to do whatever they pleased. Dans behaviour, lack of openess and clarity sent the alarm bells ringing of another Thurrock. Dans hiding from the latest event certainly is not setting residents nerves at rest. These are easy questions to answer. When were you first aware of curo going into administration? Why was this not raised at the council meeting on the 21st May? Why has there been no response on this matter by Harlow council? When was your last payment to curo? Do we have any of the projects currently being promoted by Harlow council in the same position as curo or struggling to move forward. All reasonable questions to the council leader who works for us
Tom
2026-05-29 16:52:50
Oh dear. What a surprise, the usual shower of doomsters, naysayers and sundry halfwits jumping on a bandwagon without doing their research. They must all be Labour supporters. I think they can identify themselves without me spelling out their names here. Why don't any of you actually make the effort of doing some rudimentary research as this would spare you the indignity of appearing morons. This is not a Harlow Council scheme. Harlow Council did not appoint Curo and have no relationship with them. They have not paid them any money. Why? Becaouse it’s an entirely private scheme. Harlow Council sold the land for a commercial development, the private developer appointed curo as a contractor. This was reported some time ago, but none of the fools commenting negatively actually bothered to read it. So no, Harlow council is no worse off - just millions of pounds up from the deal. And I’m sure another contractor is being appointed as is customary in such circumstances. So perhaps an apology and perhaps even praise is due to Dan Swords' administration for yet another very sound commercial deal that enables the council to invest in the town centre. You won’t of course, but luckily the people of Harlow are not so stupid as a number of commentators on this article.
Seamus
2026-05-29 18:23:57
On the 18th of December Tom when the council posed with spades breaking ground on the sire and said "The £30 million Identity scheme, being delivered by Wrenbridge in partnership with Harlow Council, marks a significant milestone in the council’s mission to ‘secure our future’ and demonstrates growing private sector confidence in Harlow as a place to invest, grow and innovate", Are you now saying that the council was not in partnership with wrenbridge as was claimed by the council? If so what impression does that give if what they were saying, wasn't true as there was no partnership? As to a sound commercial deal? the companies gone bust, the council hid it and there is no idea when it will continue or who a new company will be.
Leave a Comment Below:
16 Comments for Building Harlow’s Future?: Not on Innovation Park as construction company ceases trading: