THE news that prestige developments in Liverpool are struggling to sell will come as no surprise to those who questioned whether there was sufficient demand for the glut of such high-priced properties in the city centre.

Beetham’s landmark West Tower is fighting to find buyers, and nearby St Paul’s Square has sold just five out of 50 luxury flats.

Down the road, in Old Hall Street’s Albany Building, there are still 68 vacant properties following its collapse into administration last year.

The situation has been exacerbated by the current credit crisis and generally falling house prices.

At Beetham’s flagship West Tower, for example, it was reported a year ago that one third of the 116 apartments had been sold off-plan and that the rest were being held back.

But documents at the Land Registry, in Birkenhead, now show that just nine flats in the 40-storey building were subject to contracts in 2005. Since then, no further information about sales has been registered, and they are meant to be filed within three months of completion.

There are, however, some apartments being offered for rent on free websites which indicates some sales have been made.

It should not be forgotten that these projects were all conceived when the country in general, and Liverpool, in particular, was basking in the economic feelgood factor.

However, in Liverpool, that spirit has survived better than in many other parts of the country, with the first phase of the £1bn Grosvenor development opening later this month, and where sales at the linked One Park West are said to be going extremely well.

While the overall picture may look gloomy now in Liverpool’s city centre property market, there is still every reason to suppose that those prestige developments currently experiencing difficulties will sell eventually if investors hold their nerve.