Since 1988 Merseyside Buildings Preservation Trust has been helping to transform at-risk heritage buildings and now, with new faces at the top, it is looking to step up its efforts. Tony McDonough reports
Merseyside Buildings Preservation Trust (MBPT) has announced the appointment of a new chair and board members in a refresh of the organisation.
Founded in 1988, MBPT is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run charity that supports not for profit organisations and other public sector bodies to rescue at-risk heritage buildings across Merseyside.
It acts in an advisory capacity to future-proof and find new uses for historic local assets. Its successes include The Florrie in Dingle, a Grade II-listed community arts and heritage venue.
The Florrie opened in 1889 as The Florence Institute for Boys and reopened to the public in 2017 following its restoration. MBPT has also facilitated urban regeneration projects in the Georgian Quarter.
These include the redevelopment of 72 and 100 Huskisson Street, two Grade II-listed residential properties, and projects on Mount Pleasant and Shaw Street, for which the trust led on feasibility studies for the restoration of two historic sites.
New chair of the organisation is Steve Power who, in his 30 years in the property sector, served as development director for the Ropewalks Partnership Initiative.
This delivered key projects such as FACT and Tea Factory, and more recently with Liverpool City, Oldham and Sefton Councils.
Joining the MBPT board are Pete Hoey and Dave Levitt. Pete has worked with the MBPT and offers experience in the conservation design and advice sector, and Dave arrives with global experience in the resources sector from across Europe, the US and Asia.
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MBPT continues to support urban heritage regeneration projects including the Wellington Rooms and former Welsh Presbyterian Church. It will also be focusing on other at-risk heritage buildings across Merseyside.
“I’m very pleased to be leading the Merseyside Buildings Preservation Trust into a new era,” said Steve Power. “working alongside an esteemed line-up of colleagues to preserve the rich architectural heritage of our city region.
“I’ve been a board member for over 10 years now and have seen first-hand the fantastic work that we can do when we work in partnership.
“We have more than 2,500 listed buildings in Liverpool and protecting them for future generations needs to be a top priority for developers and local and regional authorities.”