Work is taking place to breathe new life into several more historic buildings in Swansea city centre.
Under plans led by the Elysium Gallery, the former JT Morgan building on Belle Vue Way – which has been empty since 2008 – will soon become home to a community arts centre and hub for creative professionals.
Funding from Swansea Council through the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund is helping to fund the internal works and strip out, as well as improvements to the roof structure.
The project has also secured funding from the Welsh Government as part of its Transforming Towns scheme – and the first phase of the scheme is due for completion in the coming months.
Led by local non-profit Beacon Cymru in partnership with contractors Easy Living Ltd, plans for the former Castle Cinema building include 30 new apartments and new commercial units.
The new commercial units will include the lower part of the building that fronts on to the Strand, which is intended to accommodate small scale office use.
In the main elevation facing Worcester Place and the castle, a new commercial unit over two storeys is being created for a café/restaurant type use.
A new glazed box is proposed that will form part of this unit and front onto the castle and open space.
That scheme is also being supported by Swansea Council via Welsh Government funding.
Laserzone – which operated at the building for many years – has recently relocated to the former Iceland unit on St David’s Place.
Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: “Work to refurbish and bring the former JT Morgan and Castle Cinema buildings back into use follows-on from other projects that have led to the reopening of the Palace Theatre and Albert Hall buildings in recent years.
“These projects are important because they’re helping preserve Swansea’s rich history while creating opportunities – homes that bring people into the city centre, commercial spaces and offices that drive innovation and city centre footfall, and venues that celebrate art and community spirit.
“Once complete, the Castle Cinema project will also overlook a revamped Castle Square Gardens where work has recently started to transform the space into a far greener and vibrant destination at the heart of the city centre.
“The combination of improving the look and feel of the city centre while creating more living and working spaces will then create the extra footfall that’s needed to encourage more shops and other businesses to open up there.”
To be finished by the end of 2026, features of the revamped Castle Square will include an increase in the amount of greenery including new lawns, ornamental and biodiverse planting to provide an area with 40% green space.
Two new pavilion buildings are planned for food, drink or retail business.
A new water feature for interactive play will also feature, along with a new giant TV screen above a bandstand-style facility, new outdoor seating areas, and the retention of public use space.
Plans led by Kartay Invetsments for the upper floors of the city centre’s McDonalds building include 29 high-quality residential apartments overlooking the revamped Castle Square Gardens.
The former BHS unit’s transformation into the Y Storfa community services hub will be finished later this year and plans to bring the historic Mond Building on the corner of Union Street and Park Street back into use are being led by St Mary’s Developments.
