Splott Park has been identified as the preferred location for the development of a brand new community hub for the Splott and Tremorfa areas of the city.
Following a wide-ranging public consultation in May and June last year, and the completion of a feasibility study and business case, the site of the current Splott Pool has emerged as the preferred option for a new integrated community facility.
The proposed new hub will include a full range of community services including housing and benefit advice, ‘into’ work support, library and neighbourhood learning services, Internet access and partner services.
The hub will be a state-of-the-art, energy efficient community building that provides top quality facilities including a multi-purpose community hall, flexible meeting spaces, training rooms, community café, swimming pool, gym and fitness suites, and changing facilities for indoor and outdoor use.
By bringing services together into a single hub, efficiencies will be achieved in operating costs, and opportunities increased for income generation which will help sustain accessible community-based services for the future.
Cabinet Member for Communities, Housing and Neighbourhood Renewal, Cllr Lynda Thorne, said: “The proposal to develop a new community hub in Splott is really great news for residents and shows what can be achieved by thinking imaginatively about the opportunities to invest in our local communities. The new hub is a brilliant example of how savings can be achieved by thinking differently about the way we deliver Council and Partner services. Instead of thinking about separate services and separate organisations we want to focus on what communities want and, working together, deliver as wide a range of those services as possible in a way that is more accessible and sustainable.
“The success of our Hub programme so far shows that each community’s needs and requirements are different and we want to reflect those needs whilst always maintaining the theme of bringing services together.
“We are facing tough financial times and so now, more than ever, it’s vital that we act to protect local services by thinking innovatively and boldly by making decisions that achieve the best value and best outcomes for our citizens.”
Plans for the development of a new community hub in Ely and Caerau, to be located in the Jasmine Centre, are at an advanced stage and there are already community hubs in Llanrumney, St Mellons, Loudoun Square in Butetown and the city centre Advice Hub at Marland House.
As part of this proposal, the existing Splott Pool will close and the site cleared in preparation for the new development. The new development contract will include community benefit clauses to bring employment and training opportunities with the new hub due for completion early in 2016.
The STAR Centre in Splott Road will close once the new building is complete and the services provided there will be transferred to the new facility. The STAR Centre site will be redeveloped for housing purposes.
The Cabinet will consider the report outlining the preferred option at its next meeting on January 29.
