The once imposing tax office buildings in Llanishen, Cardiff, now stand as unrecognisable shells, resembling something out of a post-apocalyptic movie as demolition progresses. The main tower blocks of the old HMRC tax offices have been stripped down to their bare frames, with piles of rubble accumulating below and a towering crane indicating the scale of the ongoing project.
Cardiff council gave the green light for the demolition of the site in August 2022, signalling the end of an era for the city where the building has stood since 1968 housing the HMRC offices. While the future use of the land remains undetermined, there is no specified timeline for the completion of the demolition, according to a Cardiff spokesman.
The HMRC offices had been vacant since the government department relocated to the city centre in 2020, with the tax offices now situated in the Tŷ William Morgan building in Central Square. The 16-storey HMRC building and the 11-storey Gleider House in Llanishen have been left unused, awaiting their fate amidst the ongoing demolition work that began in June 2023.
Demolition progress can be seen through dramatic images showcasing the now skeletal structures of the once landmark Cardiff skyscraper. The transformation of these historic buildings highlights the changing landscape of the city and marks the end of an architectural era in Cardiff’s history.
As the demolition continues, onlookers can witness the eerie transformation of the site, a stark reminder of the passage of time and the evolving urban landscape. With the future of the land yet to be decided, the legacy of the old HMRC tax offices in Llanishen will live on in memories and in the annals of Cardiff’s architectural history.