NATIONAL Museums Liverpool (NML) has settled one of its two legal battles over the building of its flagship Museum of Liverpool.

The organisation was involved in legal actions with both sets of architects that worked on the £72m development at the Pier Head.

Danish architect firm 3XN was sacked from the project in 2007 and later revealed it was taking legal advice about whether it could sue NML for using its designs, as the finished museum stuck largely to its controversial X-shaped blueprint.

The architect firm which took over the design, Manchester-based practice AEW, also became embroiled in a legal row with NML over problems with the steps and terraces of the new building.

NML revealed it had now reached a settlement with 3XN.

A museum spokesman said: “This case has now been settled in favour of National Museums Liverpool and we are satisfied with the outcome.

“The terms of the settlement are confidential between ourselves and 3XN.”

A spokesman for 3XN said: “The complicated case between 3XN and NML had many interests and therefore the terms of the settlement are confidential.

“However the process resulted in a successful settlement of our claim against NML and we are satisfied with this result.

“We are equally pleased that the documents from the High Court released to the public indicated that 3XN had no fault in the design issues between NML and AEW.”

NML has also issued a separate £3.5m High Court claim against AEW for breaches of contract and negligence, arguing that work was undertaken without NML’s consent.

The allegations by NML against AEW centre around a series of faults and unauthorised design changes made during the building’s construction, which the board of trustees said were “defective and dangerous.”

AEW is vigorously contesting the High Court action brought by NML, blaming contractors for the problems which plagued the new museum and saying it had nothing to do with the building’s design.