Plans to build a luxury hotel next to Principality Stadium have been approved by Cardiff Council despite opposition from some councillors.
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) first detailed plans for the hotel in March. The body has acquired the former Post Office building on Westgate Street adjacent to the stadium and it is hoped the new hotel will be opened by December 2020.
The WRU has partnered with Cardiff-based property development company Rightacres on the project. The four-star, 175-bed hotel would be operated by the Celtic Manor Resort.
A six-storey extension of the existing buildings will be required for the project, which gained approval from councillors by a vote of seven to one.
Rightacres and the WRU plan on incorporating a “prestigious” entrance hall into the hotel design, along with a new bar, restaurant and leisure spa.
The BBC reports that 17 people objected to the proposal. HM Courts and Tribunals Service uses the Cardiff Civil and Family Justice Centre next door to where the hotel would be built, and has expressed concerns over the upheaval that would be caused during the construction phase.
The BBC, citing the Local Democracy Reporting Service, added that developers have been requested to pay £50,000 (€55,000/$61,000) towards improving Westgate Street’s footpath to allay HM Courts and Tribunals Service’s fears over security risks that may arise during construction.
The plans, which were described by Councillor Mike Jones-Pritchard as “excellent”, have also drawn criticism from some members.
Councillor Lyn Hudson said, according to WalesLive: “I don’t think it’s in-keeping with the area. It’s not glamorous. It’s not an addition that would be enhancing the area.
“It’s a square box. We get tourists coming into that part of Cardiff and I don’t want them to see a box on a beautiful street full of lovely facades. It’s very unfortunate that this has been stuck on the end of this terrace of beautiful facades.”
Image: Welsh Rugby Union
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