It seems useful to me to re-install a catch all thread for comments on general work. To get us started...


The new £14m Arts and Design Building (opening in 2014) on Cardif Met campus looks to be at about full height, although not much in the way of cladding yet. Pics of what it should look like complete below:

The derelict car hire place immediately to the west of the Atrium has now been completely demolished. It has been earmarked for offices and a Students Union for the Uni of South Wales, so hopefully this means building is imminent.

There was a planning app a few months ago for the Students Union/offices on the western side and the extension on the other side (nearest the prison). There was a bit of an odd history to the planning process. The first plans for the extension looked Guggenheim-esque, then Uni of Glam (as was) said no building would take place due to a fall in student numbers and then they filed a planning app for a less ambitious extension (in my view) but with students union added. I thought building was imminent although that may have been wishful thinking on my part, eager pup that I am.

Are you still in Dubai Kyle? How are things going? I spent a fair bit of time in Dubai about 10-12 years ago when it was halfway between desert and megapolis, I bets it's changed hugely since then.

Sounds exciting. Last time I went the Emirates towers had just opened which tells you how long ago that was. At the time development was patchy and the main road to Jumeirah (Sheik Zayed Rd??) was basically lined with tall office/residential blocks which looked impressive but with pretty much nothing behind. All fur coat and no knickers as my mother would say. I also did some work in Sharjah which really is a dusty shithole - like Newport compared to Cardiff......!

It must be a hell of a commute to Abu Dhabi - a 2 hour drive?

Rumpoles to be knocked down in feb. Currently occupied by squatters.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/masked-squatters-barricade-themselves-inside-5680263

Hooray! More multicoloured (Timmy Mallet-esque) 80's rubbish being erased!

Madina mosque have put in a change of use application to place of worship for Crwys House on crwys road. We had heard the building could be students flats. This is a step down fron Madinas earlier plans but is perhaps more deliverable.

In retail news:

The rise of the "budget shop" across Cardiff continues.
A Poundstrecher has opened in the old Staples unit down the bay near Ikea and just 2 doors down from the B&M bargain store.
Also Home Bargains is set to open on Newport Road in the Rumney River Bridge Retail Park next to Matalan, M&S Food and Homebase (opposite the new Morissons store).

To follow up on my previous post, there is also set to be a new B&M Bargain store opening in the old Kwik Save Unit on Newport Road (opposite TGI Friday's)

Its already open

From a distance it looks like the brewery quarter flats we being painted bright blue. Can anyone confirm? Seemed out of place at first glance, but I'm not sure exactly what is going on.

They are being painted a sky blue, I thought it was a bit odd but will brighten the area, the white was looking a bit grubby.

A few noteworthy applications -

an application for refurb and extension of 23/24 Park Place. The two villas fronting Park Place (opposite the Museum) will be renovated and kept as office accommodation. The rear annexe will be demolished and a new block (fronting St Andrews Place) will be built housing 36 student flats. This is about the 3rd or 4th application for this site, the previous ones falling foul of the planners who were not keen to see the villas demolished (although they are not listed) or for the loss of office accommodation. The new block is very mediocre but St Andrews Place is pretty much broken as a street scene anyway. Hopefully the refurb to the Park Place elevation will improve the appearance of the buildings.

An application to convert the former FAW offices in Westgate St into a 5* hostel. The building is actually a very nice Victorian building which has been empty for at least 10 years. It would be good to see it brought back into use.

An application for the retail units on the ground floor of the Angel Hotel (fronting Castle Street) to be converted into conference rooms. The Castle St elevation will be renovated so at least it will improve the appearance. It seems incredible to me that Castle St should be such a difficult area to let. Slap bang in the middle of the castle and the Milstad, next to hotels, near to the entrance to Bute Park. You'd think it had all the attributes for a honey trap for a restaurant, bar or even retail but it has seemingly been impossible to attract anyone for years and those who have opened up there haven't lasted long.

Can you remind me how/where we view these please Karl.

On the Council website - click on planning and then a box comes up stating 'Click Here to View Planning Application'. Click on that and it lists all of the planning applications on a week by week basis. When you see one that catches your eye click on it and it will have all of the documents/plans etc sent in to support the application. Here is a link -

planning.cardiff.gov.uk/online-applications/

Hope that helps.

Cool, cheers

Looks like the next phase of the Atrium will be kicking off soon. Lots of applications are in confirming compliance with various planning conditions.

According to the plan of works the next phase will be the Students Union which is on the western side (previously a van hire place) which will also involve public realm works to Guildford Crescent. Once completed the temporary SU will be removed and then the next phase - the extension on the eastern side - will commence.

Looking at the site plan there is a huge amount of space to the rear of the Atrium which could be used for further expansion if necessary.

Looks ok actually.

http://planning.cardiff.gov.uk/online-applications/files/1C1D2509D89ACEA95EB275774A330976/pdf/13_01997_DCI-MONTAGE-1473984.pdf

why do I always get 'document unavailable for viewing'...

and me!!

If documents fail to open from a direct link, just click on search and enter the application number, which you can find in the url - in this case 13/01997

There is an outline application in for 1200 residential units to the north and east of Lisvane. It's being called Churchlands at the moment for no discernible reason.

The area earmarked for development is near to the Griffin pub/St Denys church and is north and south of St Mellons Rd - this is the narrow road that currently links Lisvane and Pontprennau. The planning statement is here -

http://planning.cardiff.gov.uk/online-applications/files/33858324690BF88C0A63DD1F3F2A910A/pdf/13_02000_DCO-PLANNING_STATEMENT-1475853.pdf

Expect the shit to hit the fan very shortly.

You may recall that there was recently an application for a similar amount of units around Llanedeyrn village.

cars evens
Newts 2/1
mushrooms 3/1
rare breed spiders 5/1
loss of green space 10/1
tree moss unique to South Wales 20/1

any other runners

Karl

your URLs to the planning portal never seem to go anywhere

'document not available'


you need to create an account, log in, and then search on the document reference which is 02000

Think this is a good time to rejoin the forum This ties in with the metro thread but the Churchlands planning docs gives the first indication of what infrastructure is going to be provided for the thousands of new homes for Lisvane/Pontprennau. And sadly it is laughable - the developer claiming a "step change" in bus use with many people switching from their cars. There is even a feasibility design for dedicated bus lanes from Churchlands through Pentwyn to the A48. Yes that will really be useful - spend millions on bus lanes where they aren't needed then join the rest of the queueing traffic trying to get into Cardiff city centre. And they're going to block off St Mellons Rd so you won't be able to drive from Old St Mellons to Lisvane any more.

This should probably go under the Havannah Quay thread but I can't find it!

New riverside community to be developed near Dumballs Rd according to this -

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/derelict-city-estate-transformed-riverfront-6163863

The developer is Bellerephon who are behind the affordable housing elements of Bay Pointe. The plan is for half of the 1500 units to be affordable housing with the Council taking a head lease (ie. guaranteeing income for the developer) for 40-45 years then ownership passing to the Council. The usual stuff about open space, community facilities etc plus a 'high street' for the western half of Dumballs Rd but no mention of riverside commercial units. I recall previous plans for Havannah Quay included an arena, a large public square plus retail/A3 on the riverside and a bridge to Grangetown. This scheme would appear to be less ambitious/more realistic depending on where you are coming from.

It says that Bellerephon have secured 56.8% of the 33 acre site which seems like an incredibly specific amount (they must be measuring in feet and inches) and hope to secure 82.3% by the end of the year. This along with Heads of Terms being signed by the Council does not make it a done deal but does make it more likely that something will be built.

The 33 acres will include, as well as the residential units, green space, community facilities and by the sounds of it commercial space along Dumballs Rd so it may well prove to be denser. However I do echo your sentiments. I really do hope the development respects the fact that this is the inner city and follows the strong frontages and grid pattern of Grangetown rather than the incoherent mess that is most of Butetown.

Absolutely Agree. Or hopefully (but unlikely) something respective of the character of the older buildings in the bay,like Mt. Stuart square and the surrounding couple of streets. Nothing worse than if they put those red brick 3 storey blocks like on Lloyd George Avenue.

It should really be considered taking ideas from other countries to add character to the city. Instead of building mind-numbing red brick boxes all over this ldp for 120,000 people to live in- mybe they should consider some Euro style condos in one area. Some new england style housing in say outer areas like pontprennau, Mediterranean style housing in another area, American block style in another area etc.

Literally cannot think of anything worse or more boring than expanding our capital using monotoned architecture making the whole city look like pontprennau or radyr. Blah.

need a south east wales ldp rather than the disjointed local authority approach we do have
the ldp s need to link in, Cardiff certainly to vale, Newport, Caerphilly and rct
it doesn't really currently.

I walked past the old Rumpoles building yesterday and from what I could see demolition has started.

There is an application in for the demolition of Canton Police station and build of 17 flats over 2 to 4 storeys. An artists impression is here -

http://planning.cardiff.gov.uk/online-applications/files/B55CAEA22FCCE7206CF81E38797F7D1C/13_02071_DCO-Perspective_image29271170000.jpg-1477486.jpg

Looks ok. Shame they couldn't demolish the Iceland next to it at the same time.

There is an application for that patch of Wasteland next to the Cardiff City Stadium (by the Sand Martin), remember it was earmarked to be a hotel with ground floor units, potentially a restaurant etc.

Well the application is in, it's going to be...

A Lidl!

@Karl
looks decent that, I think it will improve the area somewhat. Canton is definitely going higher rise along Cowbridge Road.

@Murf
groan - what can you say. It is a retail park though and PMG will lease to whoever makes them money

The new factory building in the docks is now nearly completed. I understand it will be used for manufacture of steel products which is a welcome sign. I don't know who the manufacturer is. Judging from the size of the crane in front of the shed it could be fairly large or heavy things.