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Cardiff's Motorpoint Arena could be demolished in city redevelopment

Geograph/Jaggery Cardiff Motorpoint ArenaGeograph/Jaggery
The Motorpoint has a standing capacity of 7,500 people and was opened in 1993 by Dame Shirley Bassey

Cardiff's Motorpoint Arena could be demolished as part of plans to create a "canal quarter" in the city centre.

Cardiff council is talking with Motorpoint's leaseholders Live Nation about the venue.

The company is set to run a new 15,000-person capacity arena planned for Cardiff Bay which will hold twice as many people as the Motorpoint.

If that goes ahead, the council said Live Nation would "have to consider the future use of the Motorpoint".

The plans could see the whole area around Churchill Way change in the next few years, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A masterplan for it could be approved on Thursday, which includes a canal underneath Churchill Way, called Bute dock feeder, being reopened.

The first phase of the scheme also includes an amphitheatre.

Cardiff council An artist's impression of the proposed Canal Quarter in Cardiff's Churchill WayCardiff council
The canal under Churchill Way would initially be opened along the top half of the street, eventually running all the way to Tyndall Street

Cardiff council's Russell Goodway, said the pandemic had hit city centres hard and he hoped this project would create more jobs.

"The canal quarter could become a successful, high-density, mixed use development, attracting homes, hotels, hospitality, high-quality offices, leisure and retail units," he added.

Discussions between the council and landowners are taking place.

Demolishing the 7,500-capacity Motorpoint could form part of the canal quarter plans because the council owns the land.

It is also considering whether to keep the arena, repurpose the building, or knock it down and redevelop the site.

Cardiff Council The completed venue could look like thisCardiff Council
The proposed new concert venue in Cardiff Bay will replace the Red Dragon Centre

Work on Churchill Way could start this summer, and would see the northern half of the road shut with the current taxi rank being moved down the street.

Walking, cycling and bus routes would be improved in the canal quarter area.

Mr Goodway said the plan would need "significant investment" and have to be partially funded by private sector cash.