Correction of a Project Managers Assumption or Acceleration?

NEC3 and NEC4 Contracts
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Scenario: Under an Option A contract the PM issues a PMI/CE to a change in date to access the last part of the works to enable the works to be completed. The PM includes an assumption as to what date is to be used for the programme. These works sit on critical path. CEQ and programme submitted which are both accepted and the Planned Completion date is pushed out by 3 months. An earlier date is now available and the PM corrects the previous date by issuance of a new PMI/CE.

Question: Does the issuance of the PMI/CE to correct the previous PM assumption mean that the Planned Completion Date must be moved back? Or, is the Contractor entitled to keep to the Planned Completion Date as implemented under the first PMI/CE as this can only be moved by agreement on the basis of an acceleration request from the PM?

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Assuming your contract is unamended - there is a relatively straight forward answer to this.

In short, a compensation event can NEVER move the Completion Date to an earlier date.

In the case of the compensation event triggered by the PM changing an assumption i.e. clause 60.1(17) of the NEC4 ECC, this can lead to a reduction in the prices, but NOT a reduction in the time.

The only way that the Completion Date can be moved to an earlier date is by mutual agreement under clause 12.3, or by the acceleration mechanism at clause 36.