Planning a brighter future for rundown area of Swansea
THIS is how a rundown area of Swansea city centre could look within the next few years.
Design plans have gone in to the council for a £30 million "urban village" on High Street and The Strand.
It has already been hailed as one of the most important regeneration schemes in the city for the past 40 years.
The mixed-use regeneration project has been designed by Holder Mathias Architects on behalf of Coastal Housing Group.
It will provide a new-look retail front for Swansea's High Street, and regenerate The Strand at the same time.
The project will be split into four development phases, comprising retail and office space, residential units with car parking and Wales's first Creative Cluster to accommodate creative industries in a new purpose-built facility.
While it will mainly consist of new offices and apartments, it will also include re-use of the dilapidated Kings Lane Warehouse.
Holder Mathias director Terry Morley said: "Our proposals seek to regenerate this key site within Swansea city centre while at the same time improving the connections between the east and west of the city centre.
"The designs will help introduce new life and activity to The Strand area and improve its links to the city by upgrading Kings Lane, which originally connected the commercial centre of Swansea with trade focused around The Strand and the original docks area.
"This will be achieved through a series of new courtyard spaces that will provide new, vibrant places to work, live and shop."
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Speaking to the Post in January, council leader Chris Holley described the long-awaited plans as "one of the most important developments for the city in 40 years".
"I think it will make a significant difference for residents and retail businesses in High Street," he added.
The urban village is the third scheme the architects' firm has designed for Coastal Housing Group.
It was also responsible for the £7.5million eco-housing development overlooking the Prince of Wales Dock, due for completion later this year, and the Mariners Court SA1 development completed last year.
Coastal's director of development Geoff Pettifor said: "This development has been a long time in the planning, and a huge amount of effort has gone into acquiring the land required.
"We are now in a position for the development to go ahead, and look forward to there being a tangible improvement to High Street in the not too distant future."
paul.lewis@swwmedia.co.uk
19 Comments
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by Kev, Swansea
Wednesday, March 24 2010, 3:08PM
“Extention:
Austin, Clase Morriston says money should be spent on the estates.
Why? So the people there can trash it all again?
No thanks, I have my own plans for the "estates".
Starts with N, ends with E, and has the UK in the middle of it! Ofcourse, I needc to wait until everybody is home first!”
by Kev, Swansea
Wednesday, March 24 2010, 3:05PM
“Well, well, well...
A development going on in Swansea?
Is it good? Yes.
Is it in the interest's of the city? Yes.
Will it create job? Yes.
Well then you can guarantee the Swansea Civic Society will have something to say about this!
Go old timers, go! Complain, make pain, ruin our chances yet again!”
by Heather, Mumbles
Friday, March 19 2010, 6:08PM
“More blabbing from the big heads of Swansea Councillors.
Where will the money come from? Trees!”
by Austin, Clase Morriston
Friday, March 19 2010, 4:28PM
“I think it is about time this council looked at regenerstion outside the city centre.They should be looking at regeneration of the estates,after all councillor Holley and his coalition have spent enough on his penthouse in the Civic Centre, and their pet products.”
by susie, swansea
Friday, March 19 2010, 11:33AM
“Steve, I didnt think it was the housing associations job to build retail developments either. Coastal are funded by WAG grants and are really only a renamed council department.”