The Office of Fair Trading is on course to announce the outcome of its five-year bid-rigging enquiry at the end of September, following last week’s High Court decision in its legal battle with housebuilder Crest Nicholson

The judge ruled it was unfair that the OFT had refused to re-open an offer to co-operate with it over its investigation into bid-rigging in the construction industry. Crest Nicholson was drawn into the enquiry because of its historic ownership of Pearce Construction (Midlands), which was a subsidiary until 2003. However, the judge said the OFT’s wider process was fair.

The OFT said: “The OFT hopes the judgment will not have any significant adverse effect on the timetable for issuing its decision.”