Five bids received for Penllergaer Civic Centre site

FIVE bids have been received to regenerate the Penllergaer Civic Centre site just outside Swansea.

Swansea Council first put the site on the market last November as it looks to make more efficient use of its land and buildings across the city.

The bulk of the bids have come from housing developers.

The Penllergaer Civic Centre is a three-storey building that measures about 69,000 square feet in size. It was first opened for the former Lliw Valley Borough Council in 1982 and is part of a 14.58-acre site. The site being marketed doesn’t include any part of the Penllergaer Valley Woods.

Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: “The level of interest in the site has been most encouraging. What we’ll now be doing is taking a comprehensive look at each of the formal bids over the summer as we aim to complete the sale of the site early next year.

“Our buildings and land are under continuous review as we look to become more efficient and streamlined. This is especially important at a time when we’re facing a major budget deficit and are looking for innovative ways to protect as many services as possible for residents across Swansea. Putting the Penllergaer Civic Centre site on the marketplace is an example of good financial management of our estate.

“Council staff still based in Penllergaer will be moved to other council buildings such as Guildhall later this year. Any specific plans for the site in future will be subject to full planning procedures as we continue to make progress on a sale that will benefit the people of Swansea.”

Jason Thorne, of national commercial property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton, said: “As the agents responsible for marketing the site, we’re very pleased with this level of interest and the high quality of the enquiries received from a mix of both local and national house builders.”

Tom Rees, also of Lambert Smith Hampton, said: “We’re looking forward to consulting closely with the council to review and agree what we all consider to be the most suitable proposal and then taking it to the next stage.”

A number of bids to regenerate the Civic Centre and St David’s sites in Swansea city centre have also been shortlisted. Swansea Council is continuing to hold detailed talks with representatives of each of the shortlisted bids before appointing a development partner or development partners later this year.