Part of a £120 million scheme to regenerate Swansea city centre is being altered due to a main sewer.
The sewer runs along Albert Row, along the rear of the Tesco superstore, and its presence has caused a bit of a headache for the planning team behind the Swansea Central phase one project, which includes a 3,500-seater indoor arena.
The upshot is that a new building comprising shops, restaurants, flats and multi-storey car park will be moved slightly further back from Albert Row to avoid any future sewer maintenance issues.
This building will also, at six storeys, be two storeys higher than previously approved.
In turn this will allow 36 Pobl housing association flats to be built, rather than 27 - and the multi-storey car park will have 606 spaces rather than 588.
Spencer Winter, a director at council development partners Rivington Land, told Swansea's planning committee that the rectangular plot of land in question had presented "some significant challenges" to the deliverability of the scheme.
The redesign, he said, would improve its viability.
"In our view the result is an improved and more deliverable scheme," said Mr Winter.
There will also be a tweak across Oystermouth Road at the arena site, with different drop-off points for coaches and a revised service yard access for the arena and proposed adjacent hotel.
Introducing the various changes under a so-called Section 73 application at the planning meeting, a council officer said: "The basic scheme remains essentially the same."
Contractors at the arena site have just started removing the earth embankment at the former Great Western Railway revetment wall, which is listed and will remain in place.
Piling work will then get underway as the arena development at the LC car park, which will also feature an undercroft car park with 425 spaces, gathers momentum.
The council will borrow money to fund the majority of the £120 million Swansea Central phase one scheme, which it is hoped will act as a catalyst for further city centre regeneration.
Nearly £20 million has already been spent or allocated on phase one to date.
Committee members asked about wind funnelling effects of a taller building by Albert Row, and sought reassurances about a travel plan for the arena.
How parts of Swansea's seafront could change:
They also wanted to know if commercial tenants occupying a number of St David's Shopping Centre units earmarked for demolition would be able to relocate.
After receiving a response from the planning officer, the committee voted in favour of the Swansea Central phase one revisions, which will require a detailed planning application to be submitted in due course.
One of the effects of the new consent is that a statutory requirement for an easement around the Albert Row sewer is no longer needed.
The only member to object was Councillor Richard Lewis, who said he was not happy with the scheme.
Cllr Lewis said he was worried about the loss of city centre parking in Swansea since the 1970s.
"I think it is a disaster waiting to happen," he said.
