£20m office complex in Moorefields!

[Kev]

THE latest office development in Liverpool will be officially launched in the ECHO's City Exchange atrium this Thursday.

Pictured is the newest image of City Square, a £20m-plus scheme for the corner of Moorfields and Tithebarn Street by Leeds-based Scarborough Development Group and Shepherd Development.

Site preparation work has already started and completion is expected to take place next year.

The complex will provide top quality office space and Scarborough chief Mark Finlay is expected to announce news of prospective tenants for the building at Thursday's ceremony.

He said he has been in talks with private occupiers and at least one party seeking a new headquarters building.

Late last year City Square was also linked with the Lord Chancel-lor's Office which was considering space in the seven-storey block.

The scheme received £2.8m in grants and public sector supporters, such as Liverpool council, Liverpool Vision, the Northwest Development Agency and the European Regional Development Fund will join 500 guests at the launch.

[Kev]

LIVERPOOL'S civil courts are to move into one new city centre building.

They will relocate next year to City Square, a £20m-plus development being built on the corner of Moorfields and Tithebarn Street.

It is revealed today that the Department for Constitutional Affairs has taken over almost all of the six-storey block.

It will house the new civil and family justice centre which brings together all the civil courts and the family aspect of Liverpool magistrates' courts under one roof.

Criminal cases currently dealt with at the magistrates' court in Dale Street will switch to the Queen Elizabeth II building in Derby Square.

A spokeswoman at the department which is leading the courts shake-up, said: "There is a lot of specialisations in the family and civil area. Judges will be able to consult with each other more easily so there will be greater consistency."

The development will centre all civil court operations around Merseyside in one location.

The QEII courts will deal exclusively with criminal cases.

About 550 jobs including more than 200 court jobs will be located at City Square once it is complete.

Work began on site six weeks ago and it is due to open in June 2005.

Leeds-based developer Shepborough Developments said it is the "biggest ever office letting" in Liverpool's history.

The scheme has received £3m funding from regeneration body The Northwest Development Agency (NWDA).

Welcoming the announcement Liverpool council leader Cllr Mike Storey said: "This development will make a real difference to the city centre and is a stunning example of the transformation which is taking place in the city.

"It demonstrates that developers recognise that Liverpool is the place to invest in."

Aidan Manley, NWDA area manager for Merseyside, added: "The workforce of approximately 1,200 which will eventually be employed at this site will also provide a vital boost to the retail and leisure with kets of the city centre as a whole."

And Jim Gill, chief executive of regeneration company Liverpool Vision said: "City Square reflects growing confidence in the city's future and is an event of major economic importance."



Source.Liverpool Echo