Senedd's offices set for major refurbishment work

Tŷ Hywel, the Cardiff Bay building where Senedd members and their staff have their offices, is set for a major refurbishment.

The Senedd's current lease on the privately-owned complex ends in 2032 and the body responsible for managing the parliament has been exploring options for the future.

The chief executive of Wales' parliament told staff this week that renewing the lease was now the "best" option but that "extensive work" would need to be carried out.

It has not been established yet how much the renovation will cost, but will be paid for by the private firm that owns it.

BBC Wales has been told that as part of a new 50-year deal, the Senedd would then be able to purchase the building for £1 in 2082.

Tŷ Hywel is located directly behind the main Senedd building with two bridges allowing Members of the Senedd (MSs) and staffers to walk directly between both locations.

It has provided office space for Senedd staff since 1998, ahead of the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales - as it was then called - a year later.

Before the Senedd building opened in 2006 Tŷ Hywel was also home to the main debating chamber.

The building is currently owned by the London-based company Equitix with the Senedd Commission - which runs the Welsh Parliament - paying £2.7m a year in rent alone.

With the current 25-year lease expiring in 2032 the commission has considered several options for accommodating staff in the future, including renting a different office block and building a new complex.

In a memo to staff on Wednesday, chief executive Manon Bonner said that after "an extensive procurement exercise, we have concluded that remaining in Tŷ Hywel and working with our landlord, Equitix, is the best and most cost-effective option".

She added that Equitix had committed to undertaking "extensive work" to bring Tŷ Hywel up to the standards of "a modern, accessible and sustainable workplace".

The proposed refurbishment will include replacing the windows and lifts.

There will also be improvements to the building's energy efficiency, and work will be carried out to reconfigure the layout of Tŷ Hywel "to create more open and usable space", Bonner said.

Staff were told that a final decision on the proposal would be made by the Senedd Commission in the Autumn.

If approved, it would mean a period of building work across Tŷ Hywel between 2027 and 2031.

Bonner warned that "it may be necessary for some Senedd Commission staff to work from locations near the Senedd temporarily" while the renovation takes place.

Recent work to the parliamentary estate to accommodate 36 additional Senedd members and their staff - bringing the number of MSs to 96 for the recent election - is estimated to have cost £4.2m to the taxpayer.

The work included renovating the debating chamber to include 36 more desks and upgraded technology.