Tŷ William Morgan
{{Short description|UK Government building}}
{{redirect|William Morgan House|the historic house in Utah|William Morgan House (Beaver, Utah)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Tŷ William Morgan
| alternate_names = William Morgan House
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| logo =
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| image = HMRC Central Square.jpg
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| image_caption = April 2020
| map_type = Wales Cardiff Central
| map_alt = Map of Cardiff city centre showing William Morgan House location
| map_caption = Tŷ William Morgan location
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| map_dot_label = Tŷ William Morgan
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| cancelled =
| topped_out =
| building_type = UK Government building
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| location = Cardiff city centre
| address = 6 Central Square, Cardiff CF10 1EP
| location_city = Cardiff
| location_country = Wales
| coordinates = {{coord|51.4777|-3.1801|display=inline,title}}
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| current_tenants = UK Government
HMRC
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| topped_out_date = September 2018
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| cost = £100,000,000
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| client = HM Revenue and Customs
| owner = Legal & General
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| floor_count = 12
| floor_area = {{convert|265,000|sqft|abbr=on}}
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| architecture_firm = Gensler
| developer = Rightacres Property / Legal & General
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| main_contractor = Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd
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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.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-68651414|title=UK Space Agency to expand with four new bases |work=BBC |date=25 March 2024|accessdate=2 June 2024}}
Background
The 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.{{cite news|author=Aaron Morby |url=https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2017/10/18/mcalpine-to-start-hmrc-office-at-cardiff-central-square/ |title=McAlpine to start HMRC office at Cardiff central square |work=Construction Enquirer |date=17 October 2017 |accessdate=24 July 2021 }} The building was designed by the architectural firm Gensler Work started on 6 Central Square in late 2017, with the {{cvt|265000|ft2}} building already pre-let to HMRC. 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.{{cite news|author=Sion Barry |url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/commercial-property/name-revealed-huge-new-office-17177960 |title=Name revealed for huge new office scheme in the centre of Cardiff |work=Business Live |publisher=Reach plc|date=31 October 2019 |accessdate=24 July 2021 }} There would be 12 other HMRC regional centres across England and Scotland.{{cite news |author=Sion Barry |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/business/biggest-ever-office-scheme-wales-15142836 |title=Biggest ever office scheme in Wales reaches top floor milestone |work=Wales Online |date=12 September 2018 |accessdate=24 July 2021 }} 6 Central Square would also be home to other government agencies and be capable of hosting full UK government cabinet meetings.{{cite news|author=Jim Dunton|url=https://www.civilserviceworld.com/professions/article/government-gets-keys-to-100m-cardiff-hub |title=Government gets keys to £100m Cardiff hub |work=Civil Service World |date= 16 January 2020 |accessdate=24 July 2021 }}
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 and the keys were officially handed over, for fitting out to be completed, in January 2020.
The building was formally opened at a ceremony with Secretary of State for Wales David TC Davies on 5 December 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-government-hub-ty-william-morgan-officially-opened |title=UK Government hub Tŷ William Morgan officially opened |publisher=Office of the Secretary of State for Wales |date= 5 December 2022|format=press release|accessdate=6 December 2022}}
=Name=
In 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".
Description
The 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.{{cite news |author=Ruth Mosalski |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/hmrc-cardiff-building-principality-stadium-17544527 |title=The first look out the windows of Cardiff's new tax office HMRC building in the city centre |work=Wales Online |date=10 January 2020 |accessdate=24 July 2021 }} Located at the north side of Central Square, Tŷ William Morgan faces and overlooks the new BBC Wales headquarters. It has 12 storeys.
Signage
Early in 2021 a large sign, reading UK Government and {{lang|cy|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).{{cite news |author= |url=https://nation.cymru/news/giant-uk-government-branding-only-applied-to-offices-in-wales-and-scotland/ |title=Giant UK Government branding only applied to offices in Wales and Scotland |work=Nation.Cymru |date=19 June 2021 |accessdate=24 July 2021 }}
=Union flag controversy=
In 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'.{{cite news |author= |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-57667929 |title=Eight-storey union flag planned for Cardiff UK-government building |work=BBC News |date=30 June 2021 |accessdate=24 July 2021 }} 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".{{cite news |author=Xander Richards |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/19410737.cardiffs-ty-william-morgan-get-eight-storey-tall-union-flag/ |title=Cardiff's Ty William Morgan to get eight-storey tall Union flag |work=The National |place=Scotland |date=30 June 2021 |accessdate=24 July 2021 }}
The proposals caused a backlash on social media.{{cite news |author=Emily Ferguson |url=https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1456874/scotland-news-union-flag-ty-william-morgan-building-cardiff-union-jack-uk-flag-latest |title='Don't try that sh*t in Scotland!' Backlash as plans announced for 100-foot Union Flag |work=Daily Express |place=London |date=1 July 2021 |accessdate=24 July 2021 }} In early July 2021 a petition was launched against the plans.{{cite news|author= |url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2021-07-01/cardiff-hmrc-building-to-be-adorned-with-32-metre-union-jack-flag-attracts-petition-from-welsh-independence-campaigners |title=Thousands sign petition against plans for Cardiff's UK Government building to be adorned with Union Jack |work=ITV Wales |date=2 July 2021 |accessdate=24 July 2021 }} 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".{{cite news|author= |url=https://nation.cymru/news/super-furry-animal-delivers-20k-petition-against-100ft-union-jack-on-cardiff-tax-office/ |title=Super Furry Animal delivers 20k petition against 100ft Union Jack on Cardiff tax office |work=Nation.Cymru |date=21 July 2021 |accessdate=24 July 2021 }} The plan for the flag was later cancelled on cost grounds.{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=John |title=Plans for huge eight-storey UK flag on Cardiff city centre government building scrapped over £180k price tag |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/cardiff-huge-union-flag-scrapped-21669489 |work=Wales Online |date=27 September 2021}}
See also
References
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External links
- {{Commons category-inline|6 Central Square (Tŷ William Morgan)}}
{{Government buildings in Wales}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:William Morgan}}
Category:2020 establishments in Wales