Risk List

Swansea Civic Centre, Wales

Status: Retrofit plans in development (2023)

Overlooking Swansea Bay, this imposing Brutalist style building has been earmarked for demolition by Swansea Council as part of the regeneration of the city centre and waterfront (an initiative called ‘Shaping Swansea’) which would see it replaced by a mixed-use development. It was constructed in two phases between 1979-84 as the HQ for West Glamorgan County Council, which was formed after the Local Government Act of 1972, and designed by the County Architects Department, with J. Webb as County Architect and C. W. Quick as the job architect.

It is a concrete-framed structure, rising to four and five storeys, faced with white flint aggregate panels. The Council Chamber juts outwards above the entrance.  Several of the post-1972 Act Welsh county halls are threatened with demolition and one, the County Hall in Cwmbran for Gwent Council—which is similar to Swansea in design—has already been demolished. Compared to multiple 19^th-century listings, few 20^th-century county halls have statutory protection and no post-war examples are listed. The C20 Society is strongly opposed to demolition and has submitted an application to have the building listed at Grade II.

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