Consultation Starts On Major Swansea City Centre Regeneration Plans

A new digital indoor arena, more shops and a broad pedestrian bridge over Oystermouth Road are among the proposals earmarked for Swansea’s St David’s development site. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Now it’s been announced that Swansea residents will have the chance to share their views on these ideas and other concepts for the site’s regeneration in a series of consultation activities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The scheme is designed to create jobs and transform Swansea city centre into a top class destination for residents and visitors. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All feedback received will help inform the submission of an outline planning application in March, 2017. This means the council is on target to meet the dates it announced for the scheme earlier this year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A public exhibition is being made available next to New Look in St Mary’s Square on Thursday December 1 (10am to 8pm), Friday December 2 (10am to 4pm) and Saturday December 3 (10am to 4pm). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A website is also now live at www.swanseacentral.info where people can share their views. People are encouraged to either visit the website or the exhibition, where they can see plans and complete a questionnaire or feedback cards. Other activities include a series of consultation meetings during December with key local stakeholders and interest groups. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Swansea Council has appointed Rivington Land to manage the regeneration of the site, which is made up of land both north and south of Oystermouth Road, including the LC car park and the former St David’s shopping centre site. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Other proposals for the site include a multi-screen boutique cinema, cafés, residential apartments, sufficient car parking on both sides of Oystermouth Road, and a hotel with over 100 bedrooms adjacent to the digital arena. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Facilities for Swansea University are also being explored, as well as housing for students above shops. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The consultation follows a scheme update given to Swansea’s business and academic communities in an event at Meridian Quay on Monday November 21. A timeline of city centre developments was also announced to let people know when planned schemes will be progressed, with further details to be announced in the New Year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Here’s a video shown at the Meridian Quay event that will be used to help attract retailers and other businesses to the St David’s development site. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: “The Swansea Central proposals will help deliver the kind of vibrant, mixed-use city centre Swansea residents deserve, but we want people’s views to help shape the detail of an outline planning application being submitted in March. Everyone has a stake in the city centre, so I’d encourage people to share their views with us on the ideas and concepts behind the scheme that’s being proposed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’re meeting the timeframes we originally announced when Rivington Land were appointed at the start of the year, and we’re determined that construction of the new digital arena will start next year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The ideas being proposed for the site will transform Swansea city centre by providing a top quality retail, leisure and recreational offer. Combining with our vision for areas like Castle Square and Kingsway, these proposals will also open up thousands of jobs, benefit existing traders and attract even more investment in future, further reinforcing the city centre as a key driver of the Swansea Bay City Region economy.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Feedback received during consultation will inform the detail of a draft outline planning application due to be published towards the end of January. Further consultation will then be held before the submission of an outline planning application in March. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council has already advertised for an indoor arena operator as part of the scheme. The proposed new digital arena, with a capacity for 3,000 to 3,500 people, could set within a new, landscaped space on the current site of the LC car park. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Stewart said: “As well as hosting world class musicians, comedians and touring shows, the proposed digital indoor arena would be capable of hosting exhibitions and events including gaming conferences. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The broad pedestrian bridge over Oystermouth Road is being proposed to generate a fantastic link for residents and visitors between the new arena and the shops, restaurants, cafés and other attractions forming part of plans for the former St David’s shopping centre area.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​