City youth hostel to be replaced by apartments

A FORMER Cardiff youth hostel will be knocked down and developers hope to replace it with flats.

The youth hostel, in Wedal Road, first opened in 1986 and closed its doors in September 2014 after the Youth Hostel Association said it was “old-fashioned and incapable of renewal”.

The buildings were sold in January 2016 to Draycott Group.

For part of that period they have been used by the community, but have now been empty for six months.

The application by Expedite says it would remove a building that is “attracting antisocial behaviour including vandalism and fly-tipping”.

It adds: “The site has recently been the target of vandalism with access being gained from the A48, which is difficult to patrol or secure and, as such, it has become a danger as well as an eyesore.”

The demolition plans are for three buildings which are on the plot of land.

The Victorian building is to remain and would be converted as part of the development proposals.

An application to demolish the other buildings has been approved by the council.

In the paperwork by the applicant it says in the longer term it is hoped the land will be used to build around 25 one and two-bedroom apartments.

Once the buildings have been demolished the site will be levelled out and a 1.8m hoarding will be put around the outside.

There are then separate plans to redevelop it into flats.

The application says hoardings would be put in place around the whole site.

“The existing buildings were not considered capable of renewal by the YHA in 2014, hence their sale. The buildings are outdated and it is not economically viable to consider a refurbishment and conversion scheme.

“Assessment of the existing buildings in the next section of this report will show that they are not considered to make a positive contribution to the character or appearance of the Roath Park Conservation Area and, as such, need not be retained.

“The developers have therefore only considered demolition of the buildings and replacement with a contemporary building that is fit for purpose and will enhance the conservation area.”

The developer says that in the longer term “the site will be redeveloped with a building that enhances the conservation area”.