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A 1970s office block in Liscard could finally be demolished - again - after Wirral Council has stepped in.
As reported by Places North West, current leaseholder Prospect Estate cannot develop Dominick House on St Albans Road, and since Wirral Council owns the freehold, they want to set up a deal for the building.
The local 'eyesore' has been vacant since 2018. It was once a thriving government office, and Prospect hoped to turn the block into apartments, with some approval in 2020, but the project never materialised.
In June, an application by the property developer was submitted to demolish the building. The application questioned whether prior approval was needed to destroy the building, and the council ruled that it is.
The issue is that Prospect Estates has only 43 years remaining on its 99-year lease. This is not enough time to support redevelopment, according to a council report. An attempt to sell the property at auction last year also fell through when the buyer failed to meet lease assignment requirements.
Under proposals going before Wirral Council's economy, regeneration and housing committee on 14 September, the council would purchase the leasehold from Prospect Estates using money from the Local Regeneration Fund.
Then the council would sell both the freehold and leasehold to the owners of the nearby Cherry Tree Shopping Centre in Liscard in a back-to-back deal. Therefore, the council avoids having to maintain, provide security, or insure the building during the interim period.
But the future for the building isn't bright, as it's believed the owners of Cherry Tree will also demolish the building, despite not needing to legally.
However, the report suggests the new owners have a strong incentive to act. It states they believe obtaining the site would enable them to "remove a blight and generate opportunities for them, which in turn create opportunities to increase the vitality of the centre of Liscard overall."
In selling the freehold, Wirral Council would lose the £16,700 it currently earns each year through lease rental income. The cost of acquiring the leasehold and the expected receipts from the sale were not disclosed in the public papers ahead of the meeting.
