Scotland Yard is investigating allegations of fraud concerning the south portico of the British Museum built in French Anstrude Roche Claire limestone rather than British Portland limestone.

The reconstruction of a south portico demolished by the Victorians was part of architects Foster & Partners\' £100million Great Court Scheme for the Museum, re-opening the central courtyard with its famous round reading room in the centre.

While Scotland Yard investigates, Camden Council continues its deliberations about a breach of planning permission, both by the use of an alternative to Portland stone on the Portico and by the undue prominence of the glass roof built over the courtyard.

The council\'s planning development committee was due to discuss the matter again at its meeting on 8 March but deferred the matter.

Camden is the planning authority with jurisdiction over the area that includes the British Museum. If it decides conditions of planning consent were broken it could order the French stone portico to be demolished. Or it could fine the Museum.

When the development control committee met in January to discuss the matter the council\'s officers agreed with the previously announced opinion of English Heritage that the portico should be allowed to stand.

The officers reported that they did not feel there were sufficient grounds for enforcement action to be taken.

Not all the councillors agreed and they decided to seek independent legal opinion.

The councillors had anticipated resuming discussions at the meeting of the committee on 8 March, but the debate was put back again, this time to 5 April, to give council officers time to meet and prepare a response.

After Camden Council\'s development control committee met in January, a report, instigated by Government Culture Secretary Chris Smith, was published.

Produced by PricewaterhouseCooper, the report was critical of the stone contractors, Easton Masonry (Portland), and of the Museum management (see NSS February issue).

The report said Easton Masonry continued to deny the charge that they had substituted Portland for another limestone until they were faced with the results of scientific tests proving it on 29 June 1999.

On the other hand, it also said if a quality plan drawn up by Easton Masonry had been adhered to by the Museum the use of incorrect stone might have been avoided, or at least discovered at an earlier stage.

It added that the fact that Easton Masonry\'s bid of £1.74million for the contract was £1.2million lower than the next best price should have constituted a warning. Easton also failed to provide Mace, the contract managers, with performance bonds in spite of retentions that have left Easton £370,000 underpaid.

Scotland Yard confirmed they were investigating the alleged non-fulfilment of the terms and conditions of a contract involving the south portico. As we went to press they said no arrests had been made and enquiries were continuing.