Award-winning UK housebuilder collapses with £1.4m owed

Sporn Construction Limited, based in Stratton Audley in Bicester, is set to be wound up after a meeting on May 20.

Liquidators from BTG Begbies Traynor have been appointed who will consider the next steps for the award-winning company.

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Set up in the 1960s, Sporn Construction focuses on the renovation, conversion and extension of historic properties, and bespoke luxury new build properties, within Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties.

Its website states: “We deliver outstanding homes that far exceed the building envisaged from the original drawings.

“We are masters at seamlessly integrating the old with the new. Bringing our National Heritage into the 21st Century and securing its foundations in our future.”

Caswell House Barns, a wedding venue that was renovated by Sporn Construction (Image: Oxfordshire County Council)

The company has been trading for over 60 years, having been founded by Bernard Sporn, who was then succeeded by his son Robin and daughter-in-law Debi.

It has won a number of recent awards.

These include the ‘building conservation’ category at the Oxford Preservation Trust Awards 2017 for its renovation of The White House a Georgian property in Oxford.

In the same year the firm won for ‘large renovation – Southern Counties region’ at the Federation of Master Builder Awards and in 2016 they were shortlisted at the Royal Institute of British Architects Awards 2016 for the extension of two Victorian houses into one home.

In 2015 Sporn Construction won at the Federation of Master Builders Awards, beating 70 other competitors to take home the overall national title and the ‘large renovation project’ trophy.

Sporn was awarded the prize for work on an 1890s home in Norham Road, the owners of which nominated them.

Sporn Construction on site in 2012 (Image: NQ)

A the time director Robin Sporn said: “We were absolutely overjoyed to win.

“The firm was started by my father Bernard and I joined in 1998, and since then we have expanded to do larger projects.”

He added: “It is a real testament to the work of our team, they put their heart and soul into producing high quality builds.”

However, recent times have been more challenging for the construction company and in its latest accounts, up to 31 March, 2025, it listed creditors falling within a year of £1,376,874.

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This includes over £500,000 owed to trade creditors and £123,000 owed in VAT, with around £400,000 listed as other creditors.

In addition its average number of employees had gone down with the business reportedly having 18 staff, plus another half-dozen specialist sub-contractors, in 2012 and 11 in 2024.

Now it seems that the company is set to be liquidated with employees to lose their jobs. Sporn Construction has been contacted for comment.