Former rugby international and movie actor to tackle iconic city building
Sililo Martens, a Tongan international who once graced the turf for both Swansea RFC and Bridgend RFC, is the man behind a proposal to breathe new life into the historic former Swansea Technical College in Mount Pleasant.
The Grade II listed building, a striking example of Tudor Gothic architecture that has watched over the city for more than a century, could be transformed into 18 one and two-bedroom apartments if the plans are given the green light.
Martens, who also had a role in the Clint Eastwood-directed movie Invictus and the Welsh soap opera Pobl y Cwm, has submitted an application for listed building consent to Swansea Council.
Documents lodged with the council reveal a vision to sympathetically restore the building, which has lain empty since the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) consolidated its city centre campuses.
The plans detail a meticulous refurbishment, including the installation of vintage lighting and Victorian-style coving, skirting boards, and doors to honour the building’s heritage.
A design and access statement submitted on behalf of Martens states: “The conversion will bring the property into beneficial use and utilise a high quality pallet of materials in its conversion.”
The statement also notes that the principle of converting the empty building into flats was deemed acceptable by planning officers during pre-application discussions.
The imposing red-brick structure, which first opened its doors in 1897, holds a special place in the hearts of many Swansea residents who studied there over the decades.
It stands adjacent to the former Swansea Grammar School for Boys, which was heavily damaged during the Second World War’s three-night blitz on the city.
A heritage impact assessment describes the technical college as “amongst the finest structures in Swansea”, praising how its design “cleverly responds to the topography on which it is built”.
The assessment adds: “The remaining historic fabric is still robust and despite substantial interior alterations of the late 20th Century, sufficient historic fabric remains to demonstrate the craftsmanship and exquisite detailing that contributed to this building.”
One of the most intriguing aspects of the proposed conversion is the plan to carefully dismantle a lecture theatre on the third floor, with its timber seats and panelling being repurposed and reused within the new apartments.
The proposal includes no new parking spaces, citing the site’s “excellent public transport” links and proximity to the city’s High Street railway station. Secure cycle storage will be provided in the basement.
Martens is no stranger to the Swansea business scene. In 2018, he opened ‘The Bookshop’, a popular bar and coffee shop in a former bookshop in the city’s trendy Uplands area.
This latest venture marks a significant step into property development for the former scrum-half, who also played for the Scarlets and Sale Sharks during a distinguished rugby career.
Swansea Council planners will now assess the listed building consent application before making a decision.
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