General Developments

Looks like am mix between Pan Peninsular in London and the latest student tower in Manchester, hopefully more of teh former than latter!

And also pretty sure that the development under discussion is Capital Quarter, not the 'circus' site.

This development has been called Herbert Street, Capital Quarter.

There is an application for the demolition of the University buildings in Splott to be redeveloped into 32 flats.

A bit gutted by this. The main building is one of the nicest in that area. In fact that part of Splott - don't snigger - stands comparison with Penylan or the better parts of Canton. Lovely double Bay fronted Edwardian terraces, tree lined streets, and some very nice period buildings in the University Buildings, the Grosvenor pub and St Saviours Vicarage. Once upon a time the nearby Splott Park, with it's bowling greens, bandstand, rose garden and playground with it's own steam engine was also the equal of more celebrated parks.

The proposals are gut wrenchingly anodyne as well. I'm all for development in Splott/Adamsdown but not at the expense of the few decent buildings that are left.

Strangely enough, I had a tour around the inside of those very University Buildings in Splott last year (like you do!). It was a real eye opener. The outside is indeed rather elegant, but the inside is a head spinning array of crazy, random clutter filled rooms and accumulated junk. Many of the rooms appear to have been frozen in a time capsule and give the casual visitor the appearance that they are 'as they were' - almost as if everyone had had to suddenly leave the building in an emergency. Very X files /Torchwood indeed.

There are some large photographic / printing machines in the building which look like they have come straight out of a Fritz Lang film set.

I could see that there would be no way that any developer would be interested in converting the existing building as it stands - which of course is of cold comfort if you regard the building as part of your childhood memories as you do.

I don't dislike it - but much will depend on the quality of the build material. I've not been that impressed by CQ 1 - it looks rather plasticky, and the windows are far too dark to give it the "open" look I had hoped for. Be interesting to see what CQ 2 looks like.

I don't dislike it - but much will depend on the quality of the build material. I've not been that impressed by CQ 1 - it looks rather plasticky, and the windows are far too dark to give it the "open" look I had hoped for. Be interesting to see what CQ 2 looks like.

You can't go by the renders for CQ2 because the renders for CQ1 look nothing like what was actually built. It happens all the time. It amazes me that these developers get away with building something that looks completely different to what went through planning. You mention the dark windows for CQ1, they were not in the planning renders and the colour and feel of the outside of the building looks different to. It is the same with the Prospect Place tower, it looks a lot cheaper and simpler. I can't imagine the ice arena will look like its render either.

There is an application for the demolition of the University buildings in Splott to be redeveloped into 32 flats.

A bit gutted by this. The main building is one of the nicest in that area. In fact that part of Splott - don't snigger - stands comparison with Penylan or the better parts of Canton. Lovely double Bay fronted Edwardian terraces, tree lined streets, and some very nice period buildings in the University Buildings, the Grosvenor pub and St Saviours Vicarage. Once upon a time the nearby Splott Park, with it's bowling greens, bandstand, rose garden and playground with it's own steam engine was also the equal of more celebrated parks.

The proposals are gut wrenchingly anodyne as well. I'm all for development in Splott/Adamsdown but not at the expense of the few decent buildings that are left.

Strangely enough, I had a tour around the inside of those very University Buildings in Splott last year (like you do!). It was a real eye opener. The outside is indeed rather elegant, but the inside is a head spinning array of crazy, random clutter filled rooms and accumulated junk. Many of the rooms appear to have been frozen in a time capsule and give the casual visitor the appearance that they are 'as they were' - almost as if everyone had had to suddenly leave the building in an emergency. Very X files /Torchwood indeed.

There are some large photographic / printing machines in the building which look like they have come straight out of a Fritz Lang film set.

I could see that there would be no way that any developer would be interested in converting the existing building as it stands - which of course is of cold comfort if you regard the building as part of your childhood memories as you do.

I've never been inside so I'll take your word that it's not capable of remodelling. Damn shame though. It will become one of a number of rather impressive period buildings that have been lost in Splott - the Ruperra pub, the Salvation Army building, the biscuit factory, the school in Splott Road, a number of churches....

There is an application for the demolition of the University buildings in Splott to be redeveloped into 32 flats.

A bit gutted by this. The main building is one of the nicest in that area. In fact that part of Splott - don't snigger - stands comparison with Penylan or the better parts of Canton. Lovely double Bay fronted Edwardian terraces, tree lined streets, and some very nice period buildings in the University Buildings, the Grosvenor pub and St Saviours Vicarage. Once upon a time the nearby Splott Park, with it's bowling greens, bandstand, rose garden and playground with it's own steam engine was also the equal of more celebrated parks.

The proposals are gut wrenchingly anodyne as well. I'm all for development in Splott/Adamsdown but not at the expense of the few decent buildings that are left.

Strangely enough, I had a tour around the inside of those very University Buildings in Splott last year (like you do!). It was a real eye opener. The outside is indeed rather elegant, but the inside is a head spinning array of crazy, random clutter filled rooms and accumulated junk. Many of the rooms appear to have been frozen in a time capsule and give the casual visitor the appearance that they are 'as they were' - almost as if everyone had had to suddenly leave the building in an emergency. Very X files /Torchwood indeed.

There are some large photographic / printing machines in the building which look like they have come straight out of a Fritz Lang film set.

I could see that there would be no way that any developer would be interested in converting the existing building as it stands - which of course is of cold comfort if you regard the building as part of your childhood memories as you do.

I've never been inside so I'll take your word that it's not capable of remodelling. Damn shame though. It will become one of a number of rather impressive period buildings that have been lost in Splott - the Ruperra pub, the Salvation Army building, the biscuit factory, the school in Splott Road, a number of churches....

I am glad it's going, think it's hideous!

It will become one of a number of rather impressive period buildings that have been lost in Splott - the Ruperra pub, the Salvation Army building, the biscuit factory, the school in Splott Road, a number of churches....

I love the fact that there were two Welsh chapels in Splott within five minutes walk of each other, one called Bethlehem and the other Jerusalem. Jesus could have saved himself a lot of bother!

[/quote]
I am glad it's going, think it's hideous![/quote]

There is no accounting for taste, but hideous is not a word I'd associate with that building. On pure aesthetics I'd take it every time over the planned replacement, which although not hideous is laughably mediocre.

I am glad it's going, think it's hideous![/quote]

There is no accounting for taste, but hideous is not a word I'd associate with that building. On pure aesthetics I'd take it every time over the planned replacement, which although not hideous is laughably mediocre.[/quote]


Ok, maybe i exaggerated a bit, but i still dont understand all the erections over this building!