Visitors to Wales' capital greeted by 'bleak concrete expanse'

Wales is famous for giving visitors a welcome in the hillside, or so the song goes.

But those stepping out in the capital city from the main bus and train stations are greeted by a bleak expanse of concrete, according to a civic charity.

The area has been regenerated since 2016, and now includes offices, university buildings and BBC Cymru Wales' offices, along with Central Square - used for people to queue on after rugby matches and concerts at the nearby Principality Stadium.

The Royal Society of Architects in Wales (RSAW) is asking for a hypothetical "reimaging" of the area, while Cardiff council said the area allows the city to host major events.

"It's a very bleak view for anyone coming into Cardiff by train as they are immediately confronted by an expanse of concrete and concrete buildings," said Lyn Eynon, planning lead for the Cardiff Civic Society.

This area does have another role - a large space for tens of thousands of rugby and music fans to queue after attending events at the nearby Principality Stadium.

While Mr Eynon agrees it is functional, he believes it is underwhelming to the eye with little greenery and no artwork.

"It's quite stark... there aren't even any hanging baskets," he added.

"We would very much like to see a more welcoming space."

It is a view expressed by many people on social media about their first time in the city, he added, saying: "It's just not a good entrance to the capital of Wales."

It has become something of a hot topic, according to RSAW director Elinor Weekley. So much so, it was selected as the topic of an annual competition for architects to come up with an innovative redesign.

Visitors to Cardiff are greeted by an "expanse of concrete", a civic charity says

"It's a hypothetical competition aimed to get some creative juices flowing," she said.

Architects were invited to create new design ideas to "evolve Central Square into a world-class public realm that reflects the spirit of Cardiff and enhances the everyday experience for all who use it".

The objectives include enhancing the square as a "welcoming and inclusive space" with more culture, biodiversity and connectivity.

A spokesperson for Cardiff council said that Central Square plays an important role in allowing to city to host major events by "providing a balance between civic space and public infrastructure to allow the effective and efficient use of Central Station."

It added that it is exploring whether there are solutions that allow features to be brought in and then taken away for large events.

"However, when evaluating options, it is important to factor in the area needing to accommodate large crowds, as well needing to provide evacuation assembly points for the hundreds of people in the surrounding buildings."

What do people think of Central Square?

Eva, from Warwickshire, grew up in Cardiff and said it was "a bit of a shock every time" she comes home.

"It's a bit stark... it hasn't got the character that Cardiff used to have," she said.

Eva says Central Square looks quite alien to how she remembers Cardiff

"It all seems so alien to what we were used to," she added, saying the city needs to "inject a bit of culture" into the area.

On the other hand, Ella, a student from Cowbridge, Vale of Glamorgan, said she likes the fact that the area "feels quite business-like".

"It's not really its purpose to be warm and fuzzy," said Jemima, from London.

Jemima thinks Central Square should have a "business vibe"

"I think it speaks to the serious business vibe that should be present in this space."

She said the square could do with "one or two more trees" but warned against making the area too cluttered.

Why was Cardiff's old bus station demolished?

Cardiff's former bus station once occupied the space outside the central train station

The old Cardiff bus station was built in the 1950s, itself a redevelopment of the 19th Century-built Temperance Town district of rundown terraced houses.

By the 2010s, following the construction of the St David's shopping centre, the bus station and the wider Central Square area was earmarked for redevelopment as the city expanded.

Demolition of the old bus station got under way in 2015.

A number of nearby office buildings and a former NCP car park were also knocked down.

Plans for the new bus station, to the east of the old site, were approved in 2018.

An artist gave an impression of what the new square would look like - has the vision been fully achieved?

Alongside the the bus station redevelopment, a number of new office buildings went up around Central Square.

BBC Cymru Wales moved into one of those new office buildings, on the site of the former bus station, in 2020.

And more construction is planned, including what would be Wales' tallest building on Wood Street on the north side of Central Square.

The proposed skyscraper, next to Principality Stadium, would stand at 580ft (180m), making it the second the tallest building in the UK outside London.

There is also a £140m proposal to revamp Cardiff Central railway station, including a new brick arch at the rear entrance and additional retail and cycle facilities.

The winning proposal to "reimagine" Central Square will just be for the architect's own bragging rights, Ms Weekley said.

But she hopes it could inspire the train station redesign.

RSAW said the result of the competition would be announced on 10 October.

With additional reporting by Greg Davies