Work to build Cardiff's long-awaited new bus station could begin within weeks – but commuters could be waiting until mid-2021 for it to finally open.
Construction of the £100mi mixed-use interchange project in the centre of Cardiff had been expected to start in March but so far no work has been started.
The project, which includes a bus station with 14 stands, seven ground floor retail units, 305 flats in a 22-storey tower facing Wood Street and a nine-storey block facing Marland Street, office space and a 249-space car park, has faced delays due to "complex negotiations" to secure private investment.
Planning permission had been given for six storeys of offices but now financial services giant Legal & General has asked for an additional storey to accommodate its workforce already in Cardiff and also relocate more staff into the city.
An amended planning application is now being considered by Cardiff council's planning department.
Councillor Russell Goodway, Cardiff council's cabinet member for investment and development, said most of the outstanding issues with the bus station have been addressed and he expected work to start "in the coming weeks".
He said: "There's no-one more frustrated than councillors with these delays but it's for a good reason. If there's a possibility of safeguarding 1,300 jobs in Cardiff and attracting 400-500 high quality jobs it's worth waiting.
"If it's just a delay in the construction project and we secure these jobs of people in Cardiff and attract new jobs we have got to accommodate that.
"It's going to happen very soon. Delays have occurred but it's been for a good reason."
Cllr Goodway added it should take around two years to build the new interchange once the work has started.
Contracts between Transport For Wales, which will operate the bus station, the Welsh Government, and developer Rightacres could be signed within the coming days, he said.
But the delays mean alternative parking arrangements need to be made for the 1,200 BBC staff who will shortly move to their new headquarters in Central Square.
The bus station's car park will be mainly for the BBC but staff are expected to begin moving to the new building in October and they should all be in place by April next year.
It is understood Rightacres will provide a temporary car park on land around the Brains site, which it is also planning to redevelop.
Paul McCarthy, chief executive of Rightacres, said: "Cardiff council provided planning consent for this project, which will include a new bus station as well as commercial and residential property, at the end of last year.
"Complex negotiations to secure private sector investment for this ambitious project are now well advanced and we expect to make a further announcement soon.
"Rightacres has agreed a temporary parking solution with the BBC whilst the interchange is being constructed. This is entirely at Rightacres' cost."
Conservative councillors are calling for work on the bus station to begin as soon as possible.
Cllr Adrian Robson, leader of the Conservatives on the council, said: "Not having a bus station is damaging our city. They need to get on with it.
"Fewer people are using buses in the city and I'm convinced the lack of a bus station is a big factor. The whole saga has gone on for too long."
Cllr Joel Williams added: "Cardiff has been without a bus station for over four years. We were promised a bus station would be operating now.
"We shouldn't have bulldozed the existing bus station until we knew for certain there was going to be a replacement in a reasonable amount of time."
