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11/02149/DCI Full Planning Permission Expected Decision DEL
Received: 30/01/2012 Ward: CATHAYS
Case Officer: Richard Cole
2
Applicant: Mr Lomer Cardiff University Estate Development, Estates Division - Cardiff University, McKenzie House, 30-36 Newport Road
Agents: Boyes Rees Architects, 4th Floor Greyfriars House, Greyfriars Road, Cardiff, Cardiff / Caerdydd, CF10 3
Proposal: Proposed new Postgraduate Teaching Center incorporating Harvard Style Lecture Theatres, External
Public Realm works, Landscaping for Cardiff Business School on the former car park between Julian
Hodge Building and Humanities Building at the Colum Road Campus.
At: SITE ADJACENT TO JULIAN HODGE BUILDING CARDIFF UNIVERSITY, COLUM DRIVE, CATHAYS PARK
I wonder what impact this expansion of the university along Maindy Road will have on the housing stock in the area. Particulary Maindy Road east of Llantrisant Street with Rhigos Gardens and the like are currently very pleasant. Probably some time ago the housing behind the Students Union was also quite pleasant, with equivalent garden space, but that looks very run down now. Could the next twenty years see the Maindy Road area become more run down? Or will it retain it's more suburban feel despite the proximity of the university?
I wonder what impact this expansion of the university along Maindy Road will have on the housing stock in the area. Particulary Maindy Road east of Llantrisant Street with Rhigos Gardens and the like are currently very pleasant. Probably some time ago the housing behind the Students Union was also quite pleasant, with equivalent garden space, but that looks very run down now. Could the next twenty years see the Maindy Road area become more run down? Or will it retain it's more suburban feel despite the proximity of the university?
Great to see progess on the site, by the way.
It seems to me that purpose built student housing is one of the few growth area's at the moment - student halls are being built near the fire station, Summit House in Windsor Place is being converted to student flats, the University has just had plans for more flats at Talybont passed, flats in Salisbury Rd are underway, flats in Blackweir Terrace are near completion and then there are the proposed student flats at Capital Quarter. This comes against a background of applications to universities dropping.
This would suggest that some of the housing currently being used as student digs in Cathays may become available in the next few years. I think it could go one of two ways. Possibly some of the houses could be converted to flats for the post student/20 something market. Some decent period housing, amenities close by, city centre and the university on the doorstep etc. It would be an attractive proposition for me if I was that age.
Regretably I think it's more likely that if properties can't be let to students landlords will simply let to housing benefit recipients because its easy money and won't entail any upgrading to the property. The way properties in Cathays (especially the fairly grand housing between Senghenydd and Salisbury Rd's has been allowed to degrade suggests that landlords really couldn't give a shit as long as rent is still being collected.
Living in cathays I'd say the students moviong into the purpose built blocks has meant that a lot of houses are moving back into private residential occupation, about 4 in my street are back as a home for a young couple.
makes sense as cathays rocks and the best part of the city to live in!!!
Thats good to know Eric. Cathays is in walking distance of some of Cardiff's biggest employers - UHW, Companies House, WAG, the university as well as the city centre. I hope developers grasp the nettle and recognise the potential.
Having had a little look at the plans, i think this total building might essentially be two or three individual buildings with glass covered walkways between them (which might be continued across the length of the maindy park site). As such, what we see in the above photo is only the first of two or three other structures that will soon appear on the maindy road side of this framework. The two/three structures are of different heights, with the lowest fronting maindy road, so the one pictured would be the tallest by several floors. However it will still be a bulky sized thing once complete.
that will be built just as i finish my post grad course, brill!!!
on another note has anyone looked at the maindy road construction up close?? The contractors it has to be said are brilliant for getting people involved, the hoardings have window areas at different heights for kids etc, there are notice boards with plans on and progress photos. Real good face to construction, hats off to BAM as i haven't seen it elsewhere.
Good to see plans for a new bridge over the railway line. This is on the west side of the tracks of course. Are there already plans for the remaining brownfield site to the East?
Also, there is some movement on the next building on the site:
"THE second phase of Cardiff University’s new research campus has been boosted with £6m in funding from the Welsh Government. The investment will be match funded by Cardiff University and enable work to progress on the second phase to house a new Sustainable Places Research Institute."
Thats really good news. I hope this means Phase 2 can crack on earlier than expcted.
It also seems as though WAG are taking their science policy seriously - 50m to entice top scientists and their research teams to Wales, 100m fund to develop life sciences and now this. The devil is always in the detail but this does seem to be encouraging.
In other news Carwyn Jones has called a special plenary meeting of Welsh Labour.
'We done it boys' he told the gathering, 'it only cost us 6m but we got Jantra on side'.
Sources close to the First Minister confirm that the emergency conference hastily organised to combat the threat to Welsh Labour's local election prospects of the proposed centre right, business focussed political party had now been cancelled.
A source close to Carwyn Jones who did not want to be named said that the relief was palpable although the danger was still present. 'It could have wiped us off the electoral map' he told our reporter, 'thank God Jantra couldn't be arsed.'
Edwina Hart, Minister for Business, said that the new building at Cardiff University's research led Maindy Campus would be named the Frederick Engels Building and would concentrate on research into nationalisation of accountancy practices.
The building topped out a few weeks back. I went past this morning and the white cladding on the rear part of the building is well under way. Also the funky red/cream glazing panels are also being put in place.
Further to my post of yesterday I had another look on my way to work. Rather than red and cream the glazing to the front is off white, red and orange arranged in seemingly random patterns.
Having looked at the renders previously posted in this thread I'm not sure this building will look the same when complete. It seems a slightly different design to me. If I knew how to post photo's I could elaborate.....over to you sd!!
Further to my post of yesterday I had another look on my way to work. Rather than red and cream the glazing to the front is off white, red and orange arranged in seemingly random patterns.
Having looked at the renders previously posted in this thread I'm not sure this building will look the same when complete. It seems a slightly different design to me. If I knew how to post photo's I could elaborate.....over to you sd!!
Hi Karl - If you send me the pic then when I get a moment I can post it here my email address paul@cardiffwalesmap.com
all part of the cardiffwalesmap forum service!!
oh and on the subject of photos if anyone wants there's to be the 'pic of the day' then send me a pic of 650px x 170px and feel free to put a credit to yourself on it - that's it from 'the management' for now - have a nice day!
cheers for the pix, whilst it is never going to win any awards, it certainly is interesting and a welcome addition to what is an impressive collection of university buildings around the city.
I go past there quite often on my way to work. The exterior is complete. I had my doubts about this building, particularly the glazing which I didn't think worked. But actually I quite like it. There is a metal framework covering the inner 'shell' as per the renders and they are currently carrying out the public realm works facing Maindy Rd which look to be good quality. Plenty of planting along to paths leading to the building itself. The trees are the same type you see in Mill Lane/Callaghan Square in that they have been cut into a box shape and it looks like they will eventually merge together to create a high level hedge effect.
I don't know how much work there is to do inside but I would say that the exterior and the public realm works are about 2-3 weeks from completion. Sorry about the lack of pictures - if anyone can explain to me how to upload pictures taken on an iphone then I will try to oblige.
The building is better than the Optometry building and because it is set back from the road isn't overbearing when compared to the traditional houses on the opposite side of Maindy Rd. There was a possibility that it could have looked incongruous in the midst of low rise terraced housing but actually it doesn't look out of place (to me anyway).
No sign of any other work on site. Quite a while back there was an announcement that WAG were making a contribution of £5m towards the second phase. I was hopeful that this would see work begin sooner rather than later but who knows what the Uni's finances are like.
The next phase would be the business school post-graduate centre?
The other thing I'd say is let's makesure a new bridge (2 even?) is built over the railway line to improve the connectivity between the buildings. I'm guessing the post-graduate business school will be opposite the Julian Hodge building? Would make sense.
This building looks pretty much finished. All the fencing has come down and signange has been put up. Public realm works have been completed apart from a bit of planting in raised planters similar to the one outside of SD2 eastside.
I like it. I doubt it will win any awards but I think it's a good building. I'd like to see them crack on with the next phase.
Not strictly part of this scheme but they've started work on the new business school across the tracks. Anybody got any pics of what we can expect to see rise up?