Consultation On New Bus Interchange Set To Begin

The latest designs for the city’s new transport interchange will be made public this month. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Residents will be able to see the updated designs and comment on the proposals as part of a four-week consultation process which will take place in October before a formal application is submitted to the City of Cardiff Council’s planning department in mid-November. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The new designs, created by world-renowned architects Foster+ Partners, will lay out the key elements of the scheme and include:
• An interchange building running north to south from Wood St to Saunders Rd with 14 dynamic bus stands *
• A modern airport-lounge style concourse
• A cycle hub with space for 600 plus bicycles
• 10,000 sq ft of double height retail space on the concourse
• A car park on the first floor above the bus interchange with 220 spaces ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The new interchange building will also house 120,000 sq ft of Grade A offices at the Saunders Road end, and a further 120,000 sq ft of residential/hotel at the Wood St end. The Bus Interchange will contain a state-of-the-art fit-out and technology estimated to cost in the region of £7m to £9m. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet member for Transport, Planning and Sustainability, Cllr Ramesh Patel, said: “Detailed design work is still ongoing, but the essentials of the scheme are ready and will be going to public consultation in October before a planning application is submitted in mid-November. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is an incredibly exciting scheme and it’s fantastic to see it all coming together with this part of the city developing into the sort of gateway to Cardiff and Wales that we all want to see. The consultation process will begin now and I would urge residents to get involved. We want people to feel proud of, and a part of, the transformation that is happening around the Central Square development.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Leader of the City Council, Cllr Phil Bale, said: “Central Square is a £1bn regeneration scheme which will transform the city centre. It will create a thriving new district and the bus interchange will play a major role in that. However, if the scheme is to truly be a success, Cardiff Central Train Station must be modernised while the rest of the development is being carried out. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is a major priority for the Council. Passenger numbers at the station are projected to exceed the station’s capacity in less than a decade. The train station needs to be redeveloped and quickly. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We have seen huge sums of money invested by Network Rail at other UK stations, including £600m at New Street Station in Birmingham and £130m at Waverley Station in Edinburgh. Cardiff needs the same sort of commitment to ensure we have a train station sitting alongside our new bus interchange which is futureproofed and ready to serve the UK’s fastest-growing city. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I’ve had meetings with the Chief Executive of Network Rail, the Secretary of State for Wales and the First Minister of Wales to present the case for Cardiff Central Station. We believe there is now an urgent requirement to secure Department of Transport funding. Feasibility works need to be carried out to ensure proposals for the station’s redevelopment are in place for the next phase of development funding.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

On Wednesday, September 28th, the City Council’s Cabinet will also be asked to allow a detailed business case to be progressed which will give the council a preferred funding approach moving forward. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

At Wednesday’s meeting the Cabinet will be asked to approve design plans prior to them going to consultation and planning and to give its approval to underwrite the costs for the second phase of the design. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following consultation on the design, the planning application is expected to be submitted in mid-November. A planning decision would then be made in mid-February with a construction contract to follow shortly after. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet member for Transport, Planning and Sustainability, Cllr Ramesh Patel, said: “With the demolition of Marland House already underway people can see that headway is being made in delivering the interchange.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Details on the public consultation process will be released shortly including youth engagement and on-street consultation. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​