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St David's Hall: councillor 'beyond frustrated' over delays

Saturday, 1 February 2025 09:54

By Ted Peskett - Local Democracy Reporter X @TedPeskettNews

Ted Peskett

Delays to work commencing on Cardiff’s St David’s Hall has left a cabinet member on the city council “beyond frustrated”.

Cllr Jennifer Burke, the cabinet member for leisure, tourism and sport was asked by the Liberal Democrats group leader, Cllr Rodney Berman, why certain committees hadn’t recived updates on work to fix the music venue.

St David’s Hall had to close in September 2023 after it was announced that it contained a type of lightweight concrete prone to sudden failures as it ages, called reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

The venue will need to have its roof replaced and it was originally expected to be open again by this year, but there are still no visible signs of any work taking place. It is now expected to reopen in autumn or winter 2026.

Cllr Berman asked Cllr Burke at a full council meeting on Thursday: “Why do we keep getting further delays?”

The last update on St David’s Hall was in August 2024, when members of Cardiff Council’s economy and culture scrutiny committee were told that the venue might not reopen until 2026.

At that meeting, scrutiny committee members, which included Cllr Berman, heard how the listed building consent, which is needed for work to commence, still hadn’t been applied for by Academy Music Group (AMG).

AMG, which operates music venues across the country, has signed an agreement for a lease to run St David’s Hall.

Cllr Berman told the full council meeting that the economy and culture scrutiny committee was still waiting for an update on remediation work.

Cllr Burke said that council officers are working closely with AMG on the work programme for the building and that when she has an update for councillors, she will provide it.

She added that she is “beyond frustrated” with the current situation.

Cllr Berman, a former Cardiff Council leader, said: “We did get an update actually just at the end of last week to the governance and audit committee and we were told that the conditions of the agreement for lease are likely to be satisfied by May 2025 following completion of the planning process, which means the building will transfer only to AMG at that time and that means of course only then will AMG…be able to start on the work and that will take 18 months.”

He added: “It is interesting that that update was able to be provided to the governance and audit committee, but it has not been provided to other committees."

“Why are we not giving full information out to all councillors to make sure that all of this is out in the open?”

Cllr Burke said: “I share your frustrations and I don’t think I am betraying any confidences when I tell you that I have been very clear and firm with both he leader and the chief executive to relay my frustrations in their conversations to AMG."

“I am sure that planning applications are expected imminently and that…part of the issue has been that costs have gone up because of the extent of the RAAC."

“That has now been signed off internally with the AMG board. They have been cautious in terms of the details that they shared."

“As soon as I can share something I absolutely will and I have been clear with officers, the leader and chief exec that I am beyond frustrated with the current situation.”

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