Just a small section left on its side. I guess the rest will arrive shortly!

Oh dear- don't tell me the arrival of the crane has been mothballed!!

It looks like the decorators have arrived to tart up the sales office and men are still looking at the ground where the crane is going.

It's going to be all activity around here with the new Ice rink (will it actually get built before the tent blows down) Bayscape (no comment) the affordable houses next to Morrisons, the huge housing estate next to the Cardiff Bay yacht club, and of course the rest of the development which includes the ski slope , shops and a hotel as well as a couple of towers. Phew!

According to my informants, apparently the concrete base on which the crane is to sit is not strong enough. The last crane there was owned by a company which has 'gone bust'. The new one is heavier and requires better foundation.

Also, inside the site, fencing is being constructed to enclosed the actual building site and keep residents/visitors out.

latest update! Security fence around the site is now going up. Presumably the Bay walk will be cut short around the Peninsular. Access will be by the Culverhouse/Bay link road, I guess.

Looks like crane going up shortly! Wheeled crane arrived probably to erect sections?

First section of crane being put onto the base!

All these cranes appearing across the city is surely an indication that construction is picking up again?

It looks as if there will be a veritable forest of them around the Sports village. Let's hope they bring nice little bars and restaurants too - it's a desert around here'

How can you say that, there's a Frankie and Bennies and a drive through Starbucks on Ferry Rd. And doesn't Morrisons have a cafe??

Only kidding. It would be nice if there was a cluster of bars/restaurants within walking distance of each other. It would make the ISV somewhere to visit in the evening. I think the Bayscape scheme has some commercial units planned for the ground floor and as its near the bridge you can pop over to Penarth Marina for the delights of the Oystercatcher or if you are feeling flush Pier 64. The ski slope scheme also has units planned although it's proximity to lots of high end residential suggests that any outlets are unlikley to be bars.

The whole of the area down Ferry Road and by the river Ely dont have anything really suitable as a community centre like a real pub where you can pop in and have a chat with locals.

The two pubs The Harvester and the Oystercatcher, plus the Frankie and Bennies are really huge restaurants,and whoever went into Starbucks for a chat.

Sometimes it seems to me that there is almost a determination not to have small local drinking and social places. The nearest is possibly Mermaid quay but there is no form of transport other than cars and taxis after 6pm.

There was a request to the council to turn the small office in Wndsor Quay to make it a social centre but this was instantly turned down by the council.

Sometimes I wonder if it isnt a plan to prevent people talking to each other except by phone and internet where, of course, the conversations can be monitored.

The developer with planning permission to build an A3 unit next to Aldi is discharging conditions at the moment, which suggests they might be starting sometime soon too. Though that was also from what I recall a restaurant-cum-pub rather than a pub that serves food.

Isn't that a Harvester? They are fine if you want to take the kids out for a bite to eat and a couple of pints (me, not the kids) but I wouldn't fancy going there for a few drinks and a chinwag in the evening.

It's a good point about the lack of amenties near the River Ely. Cardiff really neglects it's riverbanks. The Taff from the Milstad to the Bay is a wasted asset. On the east side it's mostly cut off from pedestrians even in the city centre.

Even as it wends it way up to the north west of the city I can't think of any riverside pubs. Perhaps because we are on the coast the rivers are not such a big deal?

Two portakabins delivered today. Site enclosure beginning and (according to my informant) should be complete by 11 March which means the Promenade will be closed where it abuts the building site.

Concrete now being poured into crane base. Safety barriers have been placed into two floors.

I hope to be able to get a webcam up and running fairly shortly. I am doing a new website and I hope to put pictures of most of the developments taking place around Cardiff Bay.

The original crane (dismantled in 2008) was much lighter and was bolted to the concrete base. This one has had a larger reinforced base constructed and now is having the concrete poured in. Portakabins have been erected for the 'workforce' (once they arrive) and the residential site was marked up yesterday for the internal traffic system which is to be put in place for the duration of the build which is due to begin on Monday next (11th).

Wow! we're spoilt for updates on this one!! cheers!

Every angle is covered! Well - not quite - anyone got a boat?

Slight delay....crane to be delivered and erected next Monday onwards (11 Mar) and work to commence the following Monday (18 Mar)

Photo of completed crane base:

So next week we'll see how tall this crane is, giving us an idea of the height of the tower. It's looking like we're not gonna miss much with this building!! happy days! - *It seems like a very long time ago that I was observing the model they had of the completed scheme, and trying not to appear to nerdy in enquiring about it but specifically asking when the tower would be built I don't think I got away with it


* well actually it was a long time ago

Hi all,

In terms of the timescales, Bellway wrote to all residents of Ferry Court to say t block work will last until July 2014.
There are also no plans at present for the remaining 2 blocks to be completed.

In terms of the general site of Ferry Court, it may be of interest to know that new managing agents will be in place as of 1st June 2013, so hopefully there will be a rise in the quality of the site as a whole.

Unfortunately that is the case, public open space to be maintained at the cost of the leaseholder. Indeed even the letter from Bellway advised that those who are diverted from the promenade will be diverted through the gardens. Therefore I can't wait to see this place finished!

Hi Gail - firstly welcome!! so nice to have a post from the fairer sex, (come on ladies we want your points of view - far to many bitter and twisted overoppiniated blokes on here! - although overoppiniated women are very welcome to ) Anyway many thanks for the info and don't worry we won't be expecting photo updates from your location!! (mind you please feel free to do so ) All we need to know now is the official number of floors - any knowledge on that Gail

Thanks Paul, although I apologise that I am the bitter and twisted sort! Unfortunately (or perhaps more fortunately) I look into the gardens, and don't look at the building site so can therefore not provide any pictures of the construction from my angle!

I was the only planning objection to the altered works and can happily say that I have it down as 17 floors. The show home is re opening from either the 26th or 28th March too.

With regard to Gail's comment about leaseholders paying for the promenade around Ferry Court, we in Watermark also pay for maintenance of the Boardwalk in front of our garage. This was a condition of planning consent I believe.

I thought a couple of pictures of the tower might be of interest before the crane arrives on Monday and a high barrier is placed on the walkway. The temporary safety barriers on each floor are clearly visible.

What's happened today? The Fence has been constructed down to the water and a metal temporary fence has been placed to seal off the pathway. during this time a JCB has levelled and flattened the area where the crane is to go so I presume we can expect that to arrive tomorrow.

I will try to video the crane being constructed.

The Promenade walkway is now closed to enclose the building site and will remain so during construction. Temporary access is, as Gail has indicated, via the existing gardens in order to resume the Promenade.

My apologies, I was mistaken.

The Bellway press realease states "Horizon will be a stunning collection of apartments forming part of Prospect Place; Bellway’s premier Cardiff Bay development. Horizon will be made up of 76 one and two-bedroom apartments over 18 storeys; all of which will be water facing". 1 storey more than I thought!

It makes me laugh that they are building more of this cheap rubbish

If you look at the other side of the building it is very poor, the painted building look like it has not been painted for ten plus years, and the outer wall of the building about three floors up collapsed and has been left for over a year

This is very poor advertising for this company

It is cheap and sub standard, this is the reason I would not purchase any apartments in this country

The thing that I find amazing is the service charge that tenants have to pay, what do they get for the money they pay, it certainly is not maintance

Very poor

That was from a press release this week. The planning changed 10 1 beds into 2 beds by removing the balconys and creating "winter gardens", essentially a big window. There are still a number of 1 beds, the number has just been reduced.

In regards to the other comment, mentioning the storm damage to Lady Isle House, it is my understanding that this is now with the sub contractor employed by Bellway, as it being a leasehold property it's taken time with the insirance company, freeholder, Bellway and original sub contractor being involved and has nothing to do with the service charge in the sense of "maintenance".

The crane do build a crane is being built with the help of yet another crane! This one is a Liebherr 40 ton crane.

T block will be the tallest building at the ISV built at the present time, however if they actually go ahead and build the ISV, there are plans for a 32 storey tower and I believe the 2 apartment blocks canteleering into the water will be quite high. They have started some ground work for the ISV, launched the prelim sales brochure and currently sequence homes are advertising for a sales person specifically for the ISV homes at Cardiff Point. Apologies, slightly off topic!

For those who wish to know the height of the tower building - the crane is at its full height

and now the first section of crane is fixed into place

It looks as if the upright section of the crane is now installed and the men are having lunch!

It's after lunch and time to put the hat on the crane

Last post of the day! the back of the jib has been attached and it looks as if the electrics are being dealt with. The big mobile crane looks as if it's finished for the night.

I hope no-one minds all these pics I keep putting up but to see one of the cranes being built is fascinating. I have been taking a video of it which I will put up onto youtube when it's done and edited.

Great!

Dont mind at all, please keep the pics coming. I'm sure there will be quiet days (or weeks) when there is nothing much to post, but when key moments pass it will be good to be kept up-to-date.

I guess we can use the visibility of the crane from around the city to benchmark the likely visibility of the tower once complete.

ooh! it's big

On a wet day the crane is progressing speedily - the jib is hoisted into position - I believe it is 25 metres long and 67 metres high. These builders sure have a good head for heights



and is attached to the upright

Now the main building work is completed and it's time for a well-deserved lunch. The travelling winch has been tested and the hook is being fitted.

It looks as if the huge mobile crane has done its work and is now folding itself up.

I see the sign for Bellway is illuminated.