A brochure published by a government department promoted a Liverpool property scheme which is now subject to a Serious Fraud Office investigation.
The original plans to build new homes, shops and offices on land off Great George Street in Liverpool city centre were unveiled in 2015.
In 2016, building work stalled on the New Chinatown site after the developers became involved in a number of protracted disputes, and the scheme has not been delivered.
The New Chinatown Buyers Company, which represents the majority of investors in the 2015 scheme, claims that around £6m is owed to it.
A spokesperson for the company has described the project as a 'nightmare.'
Last year the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) launched an investigation into suspected fraud at the Chinatown Development Company. Last week the SFO told the ECHO that their investigation remains "active."
In 2015 the New Chinatown scheme was included in the government's 'Northern Powerhouse Investment Pitchbook'.
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The brochure, published by UK Trade & Investment, was intended to showcase investment opportunities in the north of England to investors in China.
The document's foreword was written by then Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and was the centrepiece of a trade delegation to China.
The pitchbook described the New Chinatown scheme as a providing 'major investment opportunities.' And the document described the Liverpool scheme as the 'regeneration of Europe's oldest Chinatown.'
The section on New Chinatown reads: "New Chinatown is an ambitious plan for the regeneration of Europe’s oldest Chinatown, and also carry out a comprehensive redevelopment of Liverpool City Centre’s southern gateway.
"The project builds on aspirations set out in The Liverpool City Centre Strategic Investment Framework to create an international quality urban quarter and visitor destination....
"The vision for New Chinatown is to create a new residential and commercial centre for Liverpool’s new and established Chinese communities whilst adding a distinctive and complementary addition to the existing city centre offer."
The ECHO understands that New Chinatown was one of 20 schemes included in the portfolio which showcased investment opportunities in the north of England.
It is also understood that UK Trade & Investment was involved in promotional work but that the government department was not responsible for any due diligence.
Liverpool Council has said in the past that it carried out relevant background checks on the Chinatown Development Company.
The pitchbook was delivered to China during a trade delegation to Chengdu in September 2015. Mr Osborne, who led the delegation, phoned the ECHO from a trade event in Chengdu.
Speaking at the time Mr Osborne said: "The new Chinatown, former Tribeca site; that would bring 1,000 new homes, new jobs because of there would be lots of shops and hotels and the like there.
“So I’m pretty optimistic that we will make progress and Liverpool will see some of the benefits of this investment.”
The schemes in the pitchbook, including New Chinatown, were all promoted to investors during the delegation to Chengdu
In 2015 Liverpool businessman Peter McInnes, who promoted the scheme to the media, spoke in glowing terms of how the development would help transform one of Europe's oldest Chinese communities.
Stunning CGIs and fly-through videos showed a shimmering new Chinatown in the shadow of Liverpool Cathedral.
The Chinatown Development Company and sister company North Point Global were both behind the scheme.
Great George Street Developments, (GGSD) which was incorporated in July 2017 , announced in March 2018 that it had bought CDC and hoped to start work on phase one of the scheme during the summer of 2019.
In December Liverpool Council approved GGSD's plans to build hundreds of new homes, offices and shops on the site.
GGSD has said that they are committed to delivering the site, although building work is yet to commence.
Liverpool Council has said that GGSD owes around £1m to them in relation to a lease on the site.
GGSD has said this money will be paid when a legal process is complete.
