Merseyside Buildings Preservation Trust appoints new chair and board members to accelerate the delivery of new schemes
Merseyside Buildings Preservation Trust (MBPT), first established in Liverpool in 1988, is ushering in a new era after appointing a new chair and welcoming two new board members to the team.
The trust 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, acting in an advisory capacity to future-proof and find new uses for historic local assets.
The organisation has been integral to the redevelopment of a number of local landmarks, including The Florrie in Dingle, a Grade II-listed community arts and heritage venue, which opened in 1889 as The Florence Institute for Boys and reopened to the public in 2017 following its restoration.
Since the 1990s, MBPT has also facilitated urban regeneration projects in the Georgian Quarter, including 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.
Steve Power has been appointed as chair of the trust, bringing with him over 30 years of experience in regeneration, having previously served as Development Director for the Ropewalks Partnership Initiative, delivering 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 brings extensive experience in the conservation design and advice sector, and Dave arrives with global experience in the resources sector from across Europe, America, and Asia.
The refreshed board continues to support urban heritage regeneration projects including the Wellington Rooms and former Welsh Presbyterian Church. The collective experience of the board of trustees will be leveraged to consult on the regeneration of these sites, alongside other at-risk heritage buildings on Merseyside.
Steve Power, Chair of the Merseyside Buildings Preservation Trust, commented:
“I’m very pleased to be leading the Merseyside Buildings Preservation Trust into a new era as Chair of the Board, working alongside an esteemed line-up of colleagues from across the public and private sector real estate professions 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 over 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.
“As we welcome new trustees to the board, the team at MBPT looks forward to continuing to combine our decades of regeneration experience with our passion for preservation, as we continue to work with existing and new partners to bring some of the city region’s most historic properties back to life for the benefit of our communities.”
