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Eight-storey UK flag for Cardiff scrapped over £180k price tag

BBC William Morgan HouseBBC
The flag would have been placed on the corner of the UK government's new building in Central Square

Plans for an eight-storey union flag on a UK government building in Cardiff have been scrapped.

The Welsh Secretary vetoed plans for the Ty William Morgan building after estimates the final cost to the taxpayer would be about £180,000.

Cardiff council officers had approved planning permission for the 32m-high (105ft), 9m-wide (30ft) vinyl sign.

The UK government said the secretary of state halted plans because it "did not represent good value for the taxpayer".

When the planning permission for the flag was approved, it was criticised by several Labour members of the Senedd, including Blaenau Gwent MS Alun Davies, who wrote: "Someone's feeling a little insecure".

And deputy minister Lee Waters said: "I honestly don't think they understand."

HMRC/AECOM Planning applicationHMRC/AECOM
The planning application shows how the flag would have looked

At the time, a UK government spokesperson said it was a "significant UK government building", and "as is practice with similar UK government sites across the United Kingdom and around the world, it will feature the Union flag as part of its visual branding".

The building in central Cardiff will house more than 4,000 civil servants from several UK government departments, including the HMRC tax service, the UK government's Wales Office, the Department for International Trade and the Cabinet Office.

It also has a room to hold UK government cabinet meetings.

The new building is still expected to fly the union flag and Welsh flag.