Brexit building crisis: race to finish Marylebone flats before October 31 as developers fear exodus of specialist construction workers

Developers behind what is claimed to be the West End’s biggest traditional brick building for more than a century say they rushed to complete it before the Brexit deadline because of fears of an exodus of construction workers.

More than three quarters of the skilled bricklayers and other artisans working on the One Molyneux Street apartment scheme in Marylebone are from European Union countries other than Britain.

Many of the fittings and materials, including French plaster board, German made kitchens, wardrobes and lighting and Italian porcelain tiles also had to be imported from the Continent and were at risk of being held up by new customs checks after a no deal Brexit on October 31.

Peter Wetherell, chief executive of West End estate agent Wetherell, which is handing the sale of homes at the development, said: "Hopefully there will be a last minute deal but there has been concern in the building industry for some time about the availability of supplies in the event of no deal Brexit so there has been a push to get it done before then and to time the launch with Frieze Art Week when all the money is in London for the international art fair.”

The £92 million building at One Molyneux Street has 32 one, two and three bedroom apartments and duplexes ranging in price from £1.35 million to £4.95 million.

It was designed by Shard Architecture, with interiors by Coronado Interior Designs and took three years to build with 116,000 handmade bricks.

The five storey structure from developers Coronado replaces Elliott House, a Metropolitan Police Residence built in 1939.

Mr Wetherell said: “This land brick development blends in beautifully with surrounding Georgian architecture and its such a refreshing change from seeing factory prefab schemes and slabs of steel and glass – the brick finish is much more in keeping with Marylebone.”