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- Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2014 10:50 pm
Karl wrote:I've no objection to it being turned into a hotel although hopefully not a Travelodge on steroids. Ideally with the trading hall still open for public events and with bars/restaurants aimed at the general public and not just residents.
I'd be less happy with it being turned into apartments. That part of the Bay is still the most interesting architecturally and historically. If it's best building is turned into private apartments I can only see the Mt Stuart Square area becoming quieter than it already is and ever more isolated.
The ideal would be a mix of business units, concert hall, restaurants/bars and perhaps a hotel element. In reality it will be whatever brings in the most money to justify the huge expense of renovating the building. I really can't see business rents being at a level to justify the costs for a private developer unless you have a blue chip client who wants a statement HQ - but with the plethora of Grade A office developments in the pipeline in Cardiff at the moment thats very unlikley.
I agee with all this. If we want the private sector to invest whats needed to properly conserve (where possible), refurbish, and maintain the building its not going to be as a small business incubator. Rents just wont be high enough to cover the costs. All they'd really allow is some painting over of the cracks.
So that means, most likely, something like hotel or short-stay accomodation, restaurants, and private resi. If we want the main hall to be used probably the hotel is better than the private resi (remember the Point anyone?).
Otherwise we're talking about millions of pounds of subsidy required - millons that are hard to find, and I must say, probably rather hard to justify, given the current fiscal environment.