Post by Kev on Mar 22, 2004 13:45:15 GMT -5
THE regeneration of a derelict Liverpool landmark is being held up because of confusion over its ownership.
The Florence Institute, which is on the ECHO's Stop the Rot hitlist, is believed to be owned by the Duchy of Lancaster, which is part of the Queen's estates.
But a spokesman for the Duchy's London solicitors today said there was no evidence it owned the Florence, and investigations were continuing to confirm who was responsible for the building.
The uncertainty is also holding up the appointment of new trustees for the former boys' club, which campaigners want to transform for the community.
The Granby-Toxteth Development Trust says it is confident it can turn around the fortunes of the historic building.
And this week the Bishop of Liverpool - who criticised building owners for a lack of action at the last Stop the Rot Forum - paid a visit to the institute in Mill Street with the trust's chairman, Gabriel Muies.
The bishop said: "It's a landmark site and the building needs urgent attention."
Mr Muies said: "We want to work with all organisations in the area to get the Florrie back to its former glory."
A spokesman for the Duchy of Lancaster's solicitors, Farrer & Co, said: "We have had some correspondence with Liverpool council and with a charitable organisation.
"But at the moment we cannot seem to establish if the building was owned by the Florence Institute Inc. If it was, then when that company was dissolved, the assets would have gone to the Crown."
A spokesman for the city council said it had asked the Charity Commission to appoint new trustees as the former ones had died or had ceased to be trustees, but the commission said it could not do this as the building was now in the ownership of the duchy.
The building is not registered with the Land Registry, and Merseyside Building Preservation Trust is now trying to check the original deeds.
In the meantime, the council plans to lobby the Charity Commission to see if it will reconsider.
The Florence Institute, which is on the ECHO's Stop the Rot hitlist, is believed to be owned by the Duchy of Lancaster, which is part of the Queen's estates.
But a spokesman for the Duchy's London solicitors today said there was no evidence it owned the Florence, and investigations were continuing to confirm who was responsible for the building.
The uncertainty is also holding up the appointment of new trustees for the former boys' club, which campaigners want to transform for the community.
The Granby-Toxteth Development Trust says it is confident it can turn around the fortunes of the historic building.
And this week the Bishop of Liverpool - who criticised building owners for a lack of action at the last Stop the Rot Forum - paid a visit to the institute in Mill Street with the trust's chairman, Gabriel Muies.
The bishop said: "It's a landmark site and the building needs urgent attention."
Mr Muies said: "We want to work with all organisations in the area to get the Florrie back to its former glory."
A spokesman for the Duchy of Lancaster's solicitors, Farrer & Co, said: "We have had some correspondence with Liverpool council and with a charitable organisation.
"But at the moment we cannot seem to establish if the building was owned by the Florence Institute Inc. If it was, then when that company was dissolved, the assets would have gone to the Crown."
A spokesman for the city council said it had asked the Charity Commission to appoint new trustees as the former ones had died or had ceased to be trustees, but the commission said it could not do this as the building was now in the ownership of the duchy.
The building is not registered with the Land Registry, and Merseyside Building Preservation Trust is now trying to check the original deeds.
In the meantime, the council plans to lobby the Charity Commission to see if it will reconsider.
