Callaghan House, formerly an office building, may be converted into six council flats to address housing shortages in Cardiff.
The building sits at a busy crossroads where Meteor Street meets Moira Terrace, and Glossop Road and Planet Street also intersect. It is located across from the old Splotlands pub.
The plan involves creating six flats in the three-story building. Cardiff Council is still considering the proposal, as the Housing Association owns Callaghan House, having used it from 2002 to 2022.
Callaghan House now stands empty after Cardiff Women’s Aid left in mid-2024. The Housing Association perceives little commercial interest and doesn’t expect significant changes in that regard.
Attracting tenants seems unlikely, according to advice received by the Housing Association, which suggests renting it out won’t work. The new flats would also face another project—another Housing Association building.
The council approved a project in 2023 to convert numbers nine to 22 on the street into homes. Work is currently underway on the street to create many new flats.
The Callaghan House project includes a mix of flat types. Three flats would have one bedroom, while three others would have three bedrooms. Cardiff faces a significant housing need, with about 8,000 people on the waiting list in October 2024.
The Housing Association believes the site is perfect for quality, cheap housing that suits the area’s needs. They don’t anticipate any harm to the community from this development.
More housing benefits the community, especially given the site’s convenient location. Value assessments indicate a need for six units, but private housing wasn’t seen as worthwhile due to potential value and demand issues.