St David’s Views Sought In Build-Up To Planning Application

Another key milestone has been reached in the development of Swansea’s St David’s site as preparations for the submission of a planning application gather pace. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Views will start to be sought next week on the ideas and concepts for the regeneration of the city centre site, which is made up of land both north and south of Oystermouth Road. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Representatives of Swansea’s business and academic communities have been invited to an event at Meridian Quay on Monday November 21, where they’ll be updated on the scheme’s progress and planned consultation activities. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The event signals the start of the first of two stages of pre-application consultation on the preparation of an outline planning application to be submitted in March, 2017. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Residents will also soon be asked for their views in a series of consultation events in the city centre. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Swansea Council appointed Rivington Land to manage the regeneration of the site earlier this year. Proposals for the site, which has now been re-branded as Swansea Central, include shops, a boutique cinema, cafés, restaurants, residential apartments and teaching facilities for Swansea University. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The proposals also include a new indoor arena for concerts and events, a new hotel close to the arena, and housing for students above the shops. To unite both sites and strengthen links between the city centre and the waterfront, the proposals include a broad, flat pedestrian bridge over Oystermouth Road, together with sufficient parking on both sides of the road. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: “The consultation will help inform the submission of an outline planning application in March next year, which shows we’re delivering to the timescales originally announced for this exciting scheme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“These proposals are hugely important for Swansea city centre as we look to boost vibrancy by introducing more shops, cafés, restaurants and other businesses, along with a new indoor arena and other facilities that will considerably increase footfall and help attract far more investment in future.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Details of events for public feedback will be announced as soon as they’re finalised. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​