Broadcasting House

Broadcasting House stood in the Llandaff district of northern Cardiff, beside the River Taff. Designed by Welsh architect Dale Owen, the modernist building opened in 1967 after construction began in 1963. It served as the main base for BBC Cymru Wales, producing programmes in both English and Welsh for television, radio and online. The BBC National Orchestra of Wales and the BBC National Chorus of Wales once rehearsed in Studio 1 before moving to BBC Hoddinott Hall in 2009. Television dramas such as Doctor Who Confidential and Pobol y Cwm were recorded there until facilities relocated to Roath Lock in 2011. The building’s architecture reflected the influence of Walter Gropius and Mies van der Rohe. Owen’s design featured a low-rise studio block and a taller administration tower, both framed in concrete with large glass panels. Princess Margaret officially opened the site on St David’s Day 1967. By 2013 the BBC decided to leave the ageing studios, considering three possible new sites in Cardiff. Cadw had recommended listing the building, but the Welsh Minister for Culture and Sport chose not to preserve it. The site now forms Parc Llandaf, a residential development of 377 homes. Demolition took place between 2021 and 2022, ending the building’s role as a broadcasting hub. Former programmes included BBC Wales Today, Newyddion and The District Nurse. The move to Central Square in 2020 completed the transition, leaving only the memory of a modernist landmark on the banks of the Taff.