Former Council Offices’ New Lease Of Life As Community Venue

SWANSEA Council is set to offer a former office building in Gorseinon as a new home and community venue to Gorseinon Town Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The town council is being offered the chance to take over the site in West Street, Gorseinon, at a reduced price so that the building can also get a new lease of life as a community building. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The offer was agreed by Swansea Council’s Cabinet and Clive Lloyd, Cabinet Member for Transformation and Performance, said it was an ideal solution to secure the future of the landmark building. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He said: “Swansea Council has an obligation to make the most of its building assets even when we’ve no further use for them. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Following the opening of the new community library the property was leased to the Coastal project and has now been dormant since it left a year ago. In normal circumstances our rules state that we have to achieve the market price for property we put up for sale. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“However, in this case we’ve agreed that a reduced-price sale to Gorseinon Town Council will not only create a good location for a new headquarters for it, but additional meeting space in the heart of the community for residents as well.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He added: “Swansea Council is committed to making the most of our assets and to support local communities. In Clydach, for example, we were able to secure the future of Forge Fach for the community through an innovative agreement with the Walsingham charity. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We knew that Gorseinon Town Council was keen to invest in its community and would make good use of the former library as a community asset now and in the future. So our proposal seems an excellent solution for everyone.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The decision follows negotiations with Gorseinon Town Council, which had previously expressed an interest in purchasing the three-storey building from the city council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

It intends to use the building as its headquarters and for a range of community uses. The proposed sale offer will now go back to the town council for a decision on whether or not to purchase the building. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​