Cardiff Bay railway station quietly rots away

[editor]

It's a Grade II listed building, but it's been in a right old state for ages. Anyone know if there's any plans for it?

Photo feature here:
http://www.urban75.org/blog/cardiff-bay-railway-station-in-old-tiger-bay-quietly-rots-away/

 

[bi0boy]

Hmmm, can't say it's the most inspiring station building I've seen, especially with that corrugated roof.

 

[ddraig]

they keep saying that it 'should' be developed to bring it back to glory and have some retail in there but have not seen any firm plans

Central Station and Queen St are being refurbed tho so maybe they will get round to it.

taking long enough to renovate other big old buildings down the bay.

it is a shame and does need sorting out that station.

 

[editor]

Hmmm, can't say it's the most inspiring station building I've seen, especially with that corrugated roof.

The building dates from 1840 and could scrub up very nicely if all the original features were put back and cleaned up. The corrugated roof is a modern confection.

 

[Cid]

Who's it owned by? Sadly often easier to mothball a building until a) the economic climate is such that you can get a good price for it or b) the building reaches a point where you can apply for demolition consent allowing you to sell off the land with very good planning conditions.

 

[geminisnake]

If there is any planning info it should be on Cardiff City council website. The name of the owner should also be listed. I know up here an owner can be forced to sell property if they're not looking after it properly. Try googling derelict buildings, hubby says there's a couple of good forums out there.

 

[Cid]

Only thing I can find is an excel doc that doesn't list owners:

http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/listed_buildings_in_wales

Cadw don't seem to be very good at this tbh.

 

[geminisnake]

I looked at the photo on wiki and googled the people on the sign. The property is to let allegedly, check here:
http://www.stephensonandalexander.co.uk/properties-available/to-let

 

[agricola]

I looked at the photo on wiki and googled the people on the sign. The property is to let allegedly, check here:
http://www.stephensonandalexander.co.uk/properties-available/to-let

£100k a year rent? Good luck with that.

 

[geminisnake]

£100k a year rent? Good luck with that.

I suspect the owners may wish the property to fall into such an uneconomical state of repair while they are 'offering' it up for rent that it'll get bulldozed

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

The building dates from 1840 and could scrub up very nicely if all the original features were put back and cleaned up. The corrugated roof is a modern confection.

Just cos it dates from 1840, sorry, can't see why it's got a grade 2 listing, from your pics at any rate.

 

[editor]

Just cos it dates from 1840, sorry, can't see why it's got a grade 2 listing, from your pics at any rate.

The article also states that it enjoys Grade II listed status partly because it was the origin of the first steam-powered passenger train service in Wales.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Saw that. Is it really worth preserving, at almost any cost just cos of that?

I'm not Welsh, so dunno, but to me there would be more important heritage to save.

 

[5t3IIa]

That would make a lovely pub with a club/stage upstairs and a massive garden

If it was towed to Bethnal Green

 

[editor]

Saw that. Is it really worth preserving, at almost any cost just cos of that?

Not sure where the "at any cost" bit has come from.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Well it's gonna cost a fair bit to restore, I know nothing of the area, but with the other building in the photo bricked up it doesn't look like there's much going for it that would warrant the expense.

 

[agricola]

Well it's gonna cost a fair bit to restore, I know nothing of the area, but with the other building in the photo bricked up it doesn't look like there's much going for it that would warrant the expense.

I know this is something that gets done too much nowadays, but if ever a building was suitable for turning into flats then that is it. Living there would be absolutely lovely, as well as very convienient.

 

[editor]

Well it's gonna cost a fair bit to restore, I know nothing of the area, but with the other building in the photo bricked up it doesn't look like there's much going for it that would warrant the expense.

You seem to be assuming that it will be the taxpayer picking up the tab for this. Why?

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

You seem to be assuming that it will be the taxpayer picking up the tab for this. Why?

How the feck have you leaped to that conclusion???

 

[5t3IIa]

Bahnhof - let's get this monster-moved to Bethnal and we can run it as a creche/pub/knocking shop/dog grooming parlour.

 

[ddraig]

put our Norwegian church back you!

 

[5t3IIa]

I'm going to make my fortune!

 

[editor]

How the feck have you leaped to that conclusion???

You keep banging on about the cost, but if it's being bought by a private company why is that an issue?

 

[Crispy]

Saw that. Is it really worth preserving, at almost any cost just cos of that?

Grade II (ie. not with a *) is pretty slack tbf.

 

[editor]

Grade II (ie. not with a *) is pretty slack tbf.

There's not a lot of original industrial architecture left in the area. Seeing as it was once the biggest port in the world with one of the biggest railway systems, it's important that stuff is preserved.

 

[Crispy]

Not arguing with you, just pointing out it's not a big impediment to redevelopment

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

You keep banging on about the cost, but if it's being bought by a private company why is that an issue?

As I said, I don't know the area, but with the other building in the shot bricked up, it appears quite run down. For a private company to buy it and redevelop it there would need to be a profit at the end of the tunnel. I would hazard a guess that it is not a viable proposition, or else someone would have done it by now.

 

[editor]

Not arguing with you, just pointing out it's not a big impediment to redevelopment

Considering its smack bang in the middle of the shiny new Cardiff Bay development, you'd think that providing an attractive station would be a priority. There's certainly no shortage of footfall in the area.

Maybe they're not bothering because they're still arguing over the goorvy monorail/pods that keep being suggested for the area.

 

[Crispy]

I love those pods

 

[editor]

Look at these babies on the Cardiff test track! Cool as fuck! The future!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ULTra_(rapid_transit)