Tŷ William Morgan (Welsh for William Morgan House) is a UK Government building and hub in the centre of the city of Cardiff, Wales. It primarily serves as a base for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and also houses staff from other UK Government Departments including Wales Office, Department for Business and Trade, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Ofgem, Valuation Office Agency and the UK Space Agency.[3]
| Tŷ William Morgan | |
|---|---|
 April 2020 | |
  Tŷ William Morgan Tŷ William Morgan location | |
| Alternative names | William Morgan House |
| General information | |
| Type | UK Government building |
| Location | Cardiff city centre |
| Address | 6 Central Square, Cardiff CF10 1EP |
| Town or city | Cardiff |
| Country | Wales |
| Coordinates | 51°28′40″N 3°10′48″W / 51.4777°N 3.1801°W |
| Current tenants | UK Government HMRC |
| Construction started | October 2017[1] |
| Topped-out | September 2018 |
| Completed | December 2020[2] |
| Cost | £100,000,000 |
| Client | HM Revenue and Customs |
| Owner | Legal & General |
| Height | 39 metres[2] |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 12 |
| Floor area | 265,000 sq ft (24,600 m2)[1] |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Gensler |
| Developer | Rightacres Property / Legal & General |
| Main contractor | Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd[1] |
Background
editThe building, at 6 Central Square, Cardiff, was part of the redevelopment of Central Square, which included a new BBC Cymru Wales headquarters, a Transport Interchange and other office development.[1] The building was designed by the architectural firm Gensler[4] Work started on 6 Central Square in late 2017, with the 265,000 sq ft (24,600 m2) building already pre-let to HMRC.[1] The building was planned primarily as a new base for HMRC's staff who had previously been located in Llanishen, Cardiff. It was also claimed to be part of a government strategy to increase UK government jobs in cities outside of London.[5] There would be 12 other HMRC regional centres across England and Scotland.[4] 6 Central Square would also be home to other government agencies and be capable of hosting full UK government cabinet meetings.[6]
There are 13 UK Government departments based in Tŷ William Morgan. The majority of the 4,500 civil servants based there are HMRC staff.
The building was topped out in September 2018[4] and the keys were officially handed over, for fitting out to be completed, in January 2020.[6]
The building was formally opened at a ceremony with Secretary of State for Wales David TC Davies on 5 December 2022.[7]
Name
editIn October 2019 it was announced the name of the new building would be Tŷ William Morgan – William Morgan House, named after Bishop William Morgan (1545–1604), translator of the Bible into Welsh. Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns described it as fitting to name the building "after a figure whose pioneering translation of the Bible was instrumental in the survival and growth of the Welsh language and in the development of our unique culture".[5]
Description
editThe building backs onto Park Street and is so close to the structure of the Principality Stadium, the builders were able to write their names in the stadium's dust.[8] Located at the north side of Central Square, Tŷ William Morgan faces and overlooks the new BBC Wales headquarters. It has 12 storeys.[8]
Signage
editEarly in 2021 a large sign, reading UK Government and Llywodraeth y DU was applied to the façade of Tŷ William Morgan. It was later discovered this branding was only being applied to the regional centres in Cardiff and Edinburgh (Scotland).[9]
Union flag controversy
editIn June 2021 Cardiff Council granted planning permission for an 8-storey UK Union flag to be applied to the windows of Tŷ William Morgan. The flag needed planning permission because it was classed as an 'advertisement'.[10] Planning officers said it was "appropriately proportioned" for the building, while the UK government said it was in line "with similar UK Government sites across the United Kingdom and around the world".[11]
The proposals caused a backlash on social media.[12] In early July 2021 a petition was launched against the plans.[13] A 20,000 name petition was delivered to Cardiff Council's headquarters later that month on behalf of YesCymru, by Super Furry Animals member Cian Ciaran. The petition described the proposals as "muscular unionism".[14] The plan for the flag was later cancelled on cost grounds.[15]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e Aaron Morby (17 October 2017). "McAlpine to start HMRC office at Cardiff central square". Construction Enquirer. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ a b "Ty William Morgan House". Emporis. Archived from the original on 24 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ "UK Space Agency to expand with four new bases". BBC. 25 March 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
- ^ a b c Sion Barry (12 September 2018). "Biggest ever office scheme in Wales reaches top floor milestone". Wales Online. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ a b Sion Barry (31 October 2019). "Name revealed for huge new office scheme in the centre of Cardiff". Business Live. Reach plc. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ a b Jim Dunton (16 January 2020). "Government gets keys to £100m Cardiff hub". Civil Service World. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ "UK Government hub Tŷ William Morgan officially opened" (press release). Office of the Secretary of State for Wales. 5 December 2022. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
- ^ a b Ruth Mosalski (10 January 2020). "The first look out the windows of Cardiff's new tax office HMRC building in the city centre". Wales Online. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ "Giant UK Government branding only applied to offices in Wales and Scotland". Nation.Cymru. 19 June 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ "Eight-storey union flag planned for Cardiff UK-government building". BBC News. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ Xander Richards (30 June 2021). "Cardiff's Ty William Morgan to get eight-storey tall Union flag". The National. Scotland. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ Emily Ferguson (1 July 2021). "'Don't try that sh*t in Scotland!' Backlash as plans announced for 100-foot Union Flag". Daily Express. London. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ "Thousands sign petition against plans for Cardiff's UK Government building to be adorned with Union Jack". ITV Wales. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ "Super Furry Animal delivers 20k petition against 100ft Union Jack on Cardiff tax office". Nation.Cymru. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
- ^ Jones, John (27 September 2021). "Plans for huge eight-storey UK flag on Cardiff city centre government building scrapped over £180k price tag". Wales Online.
External links
edit
Media related to 6 Central Square (Tŷ William Morgan) at Wikimedia Commons
