Residents support plan for shops, cinema, offices and housing

PUBLIC backing for the regeneration of the St David’s site in Swansea appears strong but attracting a bigname department store may prove tricky, according to a report, writes Richard Youle.

Outline plans to regenerate the city centre site have been recommended for approval by Swansea’s planning committee on Tuesday.

The 11-hectare site spans both sides of Oystermouth Road and incorporates the St David’s shopping centre and the LC car park.

The plan is to create new shops, a boutique cinema, offices and housing on the northern side, and a new indoor arena, food and drink outlets, and a 13-storey hotel or residential tower on the south. Both sections would have multi-storey parking and would be linked by a footbridge over the busy dual carriageway.

A planning report going before the committee said nearly 75% of people who responded to a consultation late in 2015 backed the proposals. Common requests were for an anchor store, a possible ice rink, but no student accommodation.

Applicant Swansea Council, which has appointed Rivington Land to manage the development the site said in the planning report that it would try to provide an anchor store.

The officer planning report, meanwhile, said student housing had been dropped from the scheme and that an ice rink had not been ruled out.

Concerns about the outline application have been raised by Swansea Market traders, the LC, Travelodge hotel, Princess Way, and some residents living in Swansea Marina and the Excelsior flats on Princess Way.