New flats will replace restaurant

A BUILDING which houses one of Cardiff’s best-loved restaurants can be knocked down, after a decision by councillors.

A plan by the developer to demolish the existing building which houses Shaam Nights at 116-118 City Road and build student flats in its place was yesterday given the go-ahead.

A smaller restaurant would be part of the new plans but no details of who would occupy that have been released.

The restaurant says it has a lease until 2030 and has no plans to leave early and says it wants to be there for its “beloved customers”.

Shaam Nights has been a popular restaurant for years. TripAdvisor lists it as one of Cardiff’s best restaurants, with a rating of 4.5 out of five. It serves Mediterranean food in a distinctive lantern-clad room.

But Piazza Estate Ltd has been given permission to knock down the building which houses the restaurant by Cardiff council’s planning committee.

The new building would be three to five storeys and include six so-called “cluster” flats with communal hubs.

There would also be a ground floor foyer, gym and cycle spaces.

The planning committee asked for a contribution of £35,000 from the developer to pay for a better pedestrian crossing and to make the nearby area 20mph.

In documents attached to the planning application the applicant says no provision for parking is included.

It says the new plans will create a “landmark building”.

“Because of local circumstances, notably access to public transport, no parking will be incorporated in the scheme,” the design statement reads.

It added: “The proposals comprise a sustainable development engendering significant local regeneration in a part of Cardiff where such investment is needed. The development proposed represents an efficient use of land in an existing built-up area.”

A single objection was submitted to the plans which was received as a late representation to the committee.

Speaking before the meeting, Shaam Nights said it has been advised by a solicitor that the lease has up to 14 years to run and it couldn’t be made to leave the building without agreement.

Councillors put forward some suggestions about how they could refuse the plans. One suggestion was voted down after advice that council officers would struggle to uphold their decision if the applicant appealed.

A number of other student schemes have been approved for City Road but the planning officer told committee this was the smallest scheme to date.

Labour councillor Ali Ahmed said: “The character of City Road is changing.”

An application for student flats to be built at the junction of Maindy Road and North Road was not heard in full as the councillors for that area asked committee to have a site visit.