Final Demolition Works Start At Former Swansea Nightclub Building

This year will see changes to Kingsway’s landscape with the former Oceana nightclub building soon set to disappear from view. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Scheduled to finish by the spring, work to demolish the final structure of the Swansea city centre building has now started. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All internal works at the building have now been completed, with scaffolding in place to support the exterior’s demolition. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The demolition project is being part-funded by the Welsh Government’s Vibrant and Viable Places Swansea City Centre regeneration programme that was awarded in June, 2014. Vibrant and Viable Places (VVP) is a three-year programme to target key regeneration projects in the city centre. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: “Work temporarily stopped over the Christmas period to limit any impact on festive trade for nearby businesses, but the project has re-started now that we’re in the New Year, with the final phase of demolition due to be complete by the spring. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Our plans are for a large, new office development to be constructed on site as we look to transform Kingsway into an employment district focused on digital industries that will create thousands of jobs for local people. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As well as opening up employment opportunities, these plans will also boost existing city centre businesses by generating more footfall and spending. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’ve also acquired several other properties in the area to progress our vision, and further plans to improve Kingsway’s look and feel will be announced later this month.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Stewart also says the UK Government has indicated their intent to sign a City Deal for the Swansea Bay City Region early this year, with the Welsh Government having already given the deal an in-principle approval. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Once approved, the City Deal would lead to a digital district on Kingsway, with major investment in digital infrastructure earmarked to help attract major employers and support the development of innovative tech businesses. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​