Locarno revamp scheme in doubt (From Swindon Advertiser)

Locarno revamp scheme in doubt

9:20am Tuesday 31st March 2009 in News By Hayley Court

An artist's impression of how the area could look after redevelopment

CONFUSION surrounds the future of one of Swindon’s most famous landmarks after the Locarno’s most recent developer went bust.

Mozart Construction, believed to be the rescue company drafted in after Bach Homes Swindon Ltd went into receivership last year, went into liquidation itself last week.

But residents can do nothing but speculate as to the Grade II listed structure’s future as no new developers appear to have taken on the project.

However Councillor Brian Mattock (Con, Old Town and Lawns) insists the Locarno redevelopment will go ahead under a development company by the name of Malachi.

At the annual general meeting of the Old Town Business and Professional Association, Coun Mattock said: “As for the Locarno it was all up and running and the recession has had the bottom out of that.

“The misinformation is wrong, that Bach Homes went bust.”

But Coun Mattock’s comments have caused more confusion.

The rumour-mill began turning after Bach Homes Holdings 2008 went into liquidation, which came less than a year after the deal to regenerate the aging site was signed.

Bach Homes Swindon Ltd – a smaller company of Bach Homes Holdings – signed the contract in February last year and was set to transform part of the Victorian ballroom and town hall, which was gutted by fire in 2003 and again in 2004, into restaurants, bars and flats.

Bach’s administrators Harrisons told the Adver yesterday the company has no legal interest in the site and hasn’t since going into receivership at the end of last year.

A spokesperson for Harrisons said: “Bach Homes Holdings is a holding company in administration.

“[Bach] is a shareholder in a number of businesses including the business that owns Victoria Hospital. It has no legal interest in the Locarno and no development broke away from that group.

“We are collating information to give information to its creditors.”

While Bach Homes does hold shares in the Victoria Hospital development, the controlling share is owned by Surrey-based Sunley Homes who are expected to submit development plans to Swindon Council next month. Bach Homes Swindon Ltd – which was thought to be the controlling developer for Locarno under the auspices of Managing Director Steve Rosier – ceased trading at the end of last year along with it’s parent company. A call to the company, which is still advertised as trading from its Uffcott site, left the Adver with nothing but a dial tone. An online search for the company threw up a page from newhomesforsale.co.uk saying that the Locarno homes development was closed.

It read: “This development is closed and no longer available. This page is here for historical reference only.”

Rescue company Mozart Construction took up the project on the Grade II listed Locarno, but on March 23 this year the company – a former affiliate of Bach Homes – was ordered to wind up.