Plan to rebuild community centre with apartments

A COMMUNITY centre in Canton could be knocked down and rebuilt with 41 affordable apartments on top for the elderly.

But local councillors have criticised the plans for the fivestorey building as too tall, as the surrounding buildings are all two or three storeys high.

The plans involve demolishing Canton Community Hall, on Leckwith Road, and building a new community centre, as well as removing a car park and relocating a games area.

Cardiff council’s housing department has applied for planning permission for the development.

The council’s planning committee met on Wednesday, November 3, to consider the development. Councillor Ramesh Patel, representing Canton, told the committee the plans would be “overdevelopment” and too tall for the area.

He said: “Surrounding properties in the area are two or three storeys, and this development is five storeys high. This is completely out of character for the area. This will have a massively negative effect on surrounding properties.”

The committee voted to delay making a decision until after councillors can visit the site on December 6.

Details of the scheme were given in planning documents, which stated: “The new residential building is intended to respond to the Cardiff Older Persons Housing Strategy for more older persons housing that helps residents maintain independence for longer, is flexible to meet needs of more vulnerable users, and helps tackle social isolation.”

The community hall on the ground floor would include a main hall, kitchenette, ‘welfare facilities’, storage and a smaller flexible space.

Local residents also raised concerns about the height of the building, writing to the council to object.

One wrote: “How is a building being able to be erected that is dramatically higher than all other buildings in the area?

“Surely forming a building that is drastically higher than all others in this community area should not be allowed.”