600 new office jobs for Swansea

A LARGE city centre building in Swansea could be converted into offices for more than 600 workers, with an orangery above to help them relax.

The Princess Way building is home to Miss Selfridge and What! on the ground floor, and the only proposed change on this level is a new entrance and reception area leading to offices above, meaning the two shops would remain in place.

There would then be offices on the first and second floors and – above them – a new rooftop extension, which would include a terraced area and an orangery.

The planning application form, on behalf of a company called Westminster Project Services, said 636 workers would be employed in the new-look building.

It is not clear at this stage who the proposed office tenant or tenants are.

A spokesman on behalf of the developer said: “We are in the early stages.” But he said the aim was to hand over the offices in January 2021 following a refurbishment costing up to £3.5m.

The privately-owned building was formerly home to retailer BHS, which went into administration in 2016. Homeware, furniture and party shop What! opened the following year.

It is one of a number of city centre buildings which are being refurbished and extended to accommodate office staff and residents.
These include Orchard House – fronting The Kingsway and Orchard Street – which is being turned into 52 flats, plus retail and office space.

A company called Hacer Developments wants to create an all-in-one office, apartment and urban farm building between Oxford Street and Picton Lane. Its scheme has been recommended for approval at Swansea Council’s planning committee meeting on February 4.

The council, meanwhile, is due to unveil plans for a large office building at the former Oceana site on The Kingsway in the not too distant future.

Planning officers are assessing the proposals for the Princess Way building.