Willow Developments (Howden) Ltd Listed for High Court Winding-Up Hearing
A petition for the winding up of Willow Developments (Howden) Ltd (Company Number 07258191) is listed to be heard on 19 August 2026 at 11:00 am before the High Court of Justice. The matter will be heard in Court 1 of the Rolls Building, Fetter Lane, London, within the Chancery Division (Companies Court) under case reference CR-2026-004994. The petition was presented under the statutory framework of the Insolvency Act 1986, under which creditors or statutory authorities may petition the court for a compulsory liquidation order on grounds of alleged inability to pay debts as they fall due.
Hearing details
The table below outlines the core administrative and judicial details recorded on the published court cause list for case reference CR-2026-004994.
| Attribute | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Company Name | Willow Developments (Howden) Ltd |
| Company Registration Number | 07258191 |
| Case Reference | CR-2026-004994 |
| Court | High Court of Justice (Chancery Division, Companies Court) |
| Venue | Rolls Building, Court 1, Fetter Lane, London |
| Hearing Date | 19 August 2026 |
| Hearing Time | 11:00 am |
| Case Type | Winding-Up Petition |
Legal professionals, credit managers, and insolvency practitioners monitoring high-court listings can cross-reference the daily winding-up petitions list or review the complete official roll to track scheduled business before the court.
Company snapshot
Willow Developments (Howden) Ltd is a private limited company incorporated in England and Wales under company number 07258191, having been registered on 18 May 2010. Public filings maintained on the Companies House register classify the business within real estate development and construction sector categories.
When evaluating a commercial entity appearing on the court cause list, risk managers review statutory filings to determine the scale of net assets, working capital positioning, and total long-term liabilities. Filings must also be examined to identify any emphasis-of-matter disclosures or going-concern qualifications issued by independent auditors in preceding financial statements.
Directors and ownership
Public corporate records maintained at Companies House document the company's active directors, secretarial appointments, and beneficial ownership structures. The statutory register of Persons with Significant Control (PSC) provides formal disclosures regarding individuals or corporate entities holding substantial voting rights or equity capital.
Counterparties conducting risk reviews should verify current statutory filings to confirm officer appointments and ensure that notices issued in respect of legal proceedings are addressed to the correct corporate officers and registered office location.
Recent filings and Gazette activity
Official corporate history and statutory filings include annual confirmation statements, account filings, and registry updates submitted to Companies House. In parallel, mandatory public notices regarding corporate petitions and court proceedings are recorded in The Gazette, which serves as the official journal of public record for corporate insolvency notices in England and Wales under Rule 7.10 of the Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016.
What this means for suppliers, creditors and counterparties
The listing of a compulsory winding-up petition introduces specific legal constraints that affect trade counterparties, financial institutions, and contract partners.
Under section 127 of the Insolvency Act 1986, any disposition of company property, including bank transfer payments or asset transfers, made after the presentation of a winding-up petition is void unless specifically validated by order of the court. Consequently, clearing banks typically freeze operational accounts upon learning of a petition listing or Gazette advertisement to avoid potential liability under section 127.
Worked Scenario: Assessing Counterparty Exposure
Consider a sub-contractor supplying materials under a standard 30-day credit agreement. Following the presentation of petition CR-2026-004994, any payment released by the respondent company after the petition date could be deemed void if a winding-up order is subsequently granted, unless covered by a formal court validation order. The sub-contractor faces the legal risk of a court-appointed liquidator seeking restitution of funds paid post-petition.
Action Plan for Credit Control Teams
1. Verify petition status: Run a targeted winding up petition search to verify case status, presentation dates, and petitioning party details.
2. Examine registered encumbrances: Execute a company charge check to establish whether secured creditors hold fixed or floating charges over company assets.
3. Assess pending cashflows: Request written proof of a High Court validation order before accepting post-petition payments or delivering additional goods on credit.
4. Set up automated tracking: Enable free company monitoring to receive immediate notifications regarding subsequent court orders, filing updates, or registry changes.
How to investigate further
Traditionally, verifying insolvency listings required manual coordination across multiple public record systems. Risk analysts had to check Companies House WebCHeck, manually review paper cause lists at the Rolls Building, inspect the official Gazette index, and contact the Insolvency Service via direct enquiries.
Corp Intel consolidates court cause lists, Companies House financial data, charge registers, and statutory Gazette records into a single automated pipeline. This allows risk professionals, solicitors, and lenders to monitor commercial counterparties efficiently, identify petition listings in real time, and maintain defensible risk management records.
FAQ
What occurs during a High Court winding-up petition hearing?
At the hearing, the High Court judge reviews the petition and any supporting or opposing evidence. The court may grant a compulsory winding-up order, adjourn the proceeding to allow negotiations or validation order applications, dismiss the petition if the debt is paid or disputed on bona fide grounds, or allow the petition to be withdrawn.
Does the listing of a petition mean the company is in liquidation?
No. A cause-list entry indicates that a petition has been presented to the court for consideration. A company enters compulsory liquidation only if the court makes a formal winding-up order at the hearing.
Why are corporate bank accounts frozen when a petition is presented?
Financial institutions freeze accounts upon learning of a petition to protect against statutory liability under section 127 of the Insolvency Act 1986, which renders dispositions of company property post-presentation void without prior court validation.
Can a company continue trading while a petition is pending?
Trading may continue, but operational activity is severely restricted due to account freezes and section 127 restrictions. Companies frequently apply to court for validation orders to permit essential trade payments and payroll while the petition is addressed.
Disclaimer
This report summarises entries on the published court cause list. Presentation of a petition is not a determination of insolvency; the outcome is a matter for the court. Companies believing they are named incorrectly should email contact@corp-intel.co.uk.