CardiffWalesMap

They were owned by an unreliable company for years. Cardiff Council bought them and invited offers. They did receive offers for homes but went with this.

Fair comment - but the council has determined, perhaps sensibly, that selling to another private developer on the promise of apartments, hotel, whatever to come may lead to the buildings remaining empty for an extended period or even put them back to square one.

I'd imagine a sixth form college would be good news for cafes and shops, at least during term time, and the development looks reasonable. The only really jarring bit to me is the central south facing wall, but that looks like it will largely be hidden from ground level. The only part of the building being demolished is the small rear 'extension' in the courtyard - I'd be surprised if any redevelopment of this site which also involved using the empty ground alongside LGA would not involve demolishing this. According to the article planning permission for removing that section has been in place for several years so clearly not a new idea.

For ages I was hoping that this building would be restored to former glory and become apartments, (a bit like the bank on the other corner) but for whatever reason that was not progressing. Personally I think this is very good news for the building and the area, it sounds like Cardiff should be pretty proud of this college, so why shouldn't it be in a prestigious building such as this? Anyway as with all these things, time will tell. I know someone who has a business just across the road and they are very pleased with plans for this building. I'm really looking forward to seeing it all scrubbed up! like the old post office has been in westgate st.

I would have liked to have seen a glass canopy extension to bring the hight of the Merchants Building in line with the Cory Building and also make that central south facing black/grey wall which will presumably be cladded less jarring against the original building materials.

You may not see it from foot at street level but you’d see it coming passed the Wales Millennium Centre and any Aerial photographs (of which there are many) that you get of the Bay. It’s the only bit that’s disjointed for me. But hope the development goes ahead!

Yeah I definitely think it's a heck of a lot better than it slowly deteriorating to the point it falls down or is demolished. OK, it's not the dream use of the building, but it gets mostly restored, and will bring in extra footfall for local businesses. I think the council have waited long enough to give it a restore it and give it a new purpose, sod they need to take this opportunity.

https://www.business-live.co.uk/enterpr ... n=sharebar

Exciting news for mermaid quay.

Places like The Club House and the new Giggling Squid will be a real draw. Shame that the ground floor unit next to the Box is still vacant. Was GBK the last occupant?

What does GBK stand for? I wish people wouldn't use abbreviations!! Any time saved is more then offset by people like me trying to work out what it stands for.

Gbk is (was?) Gourmet Burger Kitchen.

There's a Canine Care Centre, or something along those lines, opening next to Parvers.

I was home last weekend and had a walk around the Bay, was looking at this site and wondering if anything would ever happen with it!

Seems strange that a waterfront plot right next to the Sendd has been empty for decades.

https://www.business-live.co.uk/commercial-property/last-prime-waterfront-land-sites-27135624

Fingers crossed this means we'll see maybe a few decently sized mixed residential towers on the waterfront. It always feels a bit desolate in the bay