THE former Scandinavian hotel is an imposing building which sits at the entrance to Liverpool’s Chinatown district. Currently plastered with 08 boards, it is a far cry from the ambitious scheme originally envisaged on this landmark site.

That was to create an 80-bedroom hotel, 42 apartments, and commercial space.

To this end, the building was the subject of a compulsory purchase order (CPO) by Liverpool council so developers Downing could start work.

That, however, was four years ago, and there is still no sign of anything happening at the former hotel.

The reasons for this are complicated in the extreme, but basically it boils down to money – as such wrangles often do – and has led to accusations that the city council acted in “bad faith” in the spirit of its CPO powers.

Such orders are used most often when buildings are in need of being brought back into use and, in this case, the idea was originally for work to be completed last summer “in advance of the celebrations and events surrounding Liverpool’s selection as the European Capital of Culture in 2008”, in the words of the council.

That has obviously not happened and it looks increasingly unlikely that anything will happen in the near future, with the matter now the subject of a Land Tribunal.

The current uncertainty is a great shame, as this once magnificent building deserves a better fate than to be left languishing unloved and unused.

However, the lie of the land has changed greatly since this scheme was first put together, with the hotel market in Liverpool significantly changing with Hilton, Ramada Plaza, Jury’s and others committing to the city.

In this case, a swift resolution is clearly needed so that the building can be restored to its former glory and be turned into something of which the city can be proud.