‘This will be the catalyst to regenerate Swansea’
MULTI-MILLION-POUND plans to regenerate St David’s in Swansea city centre have been given the green light.
The 11.5-hectare site straddles Oystermouth Road and is set to be home to new shops, restaurants, offices, housing and a cinema to the north, and an indoor arena and hotel or residential tower to the south.
Swansea Council officers recommended the outline scheme, submitted by the authority, for approval and members of the planning committee yesterday voted accordingly by seven to one.
Addressing the committee, council leader Rob Stewart said the St David’s proposals were part of a bigger redevelopment story across Swansea.
“This will be the biggest change this city has seen since the Second World War,” he said. “It will be the repopulation of the city that it needs to survive.”
Robert Francis-Davies, cabinet member for culture, tourism and major projects, said business and footfall had been leaking from the city.
“We need good-quality retail and development,” he said. “This will be the catalyst.
“Swansea must get what it deserves — a good, vibrant city centre. Getting people back into the city is a must.”
Council officers and employees of Rivington Land – the company appointed by the authority to lead the regeneration of St David’s – will now work on detailed plans and continue discussions with retail tenants.
The planning committee heard from Rivington Land chief executive David Lewis, who said the need to deliver “a step-change in the economic fortunes of the city had long been recognised”.
He said outline planning permission would give confidence but at the same time create flexibility for future occupiers, and that it was the diversity of the scheme that would most enhance Swansea.
But objections were raised by Swansea Marina resident Gareth Edwards, who said he feared being overlooked by occupants of the planned hotel or tower, which could be 13 storeys tall.
“Our biggest concern is the hotel,” he said. “I don’t see why it has to be so big. We are totally opposed to this hotel – the size in particular, and its location.”
Mr Edwards, of Squire Court, said he welcomed regeneration in Swansea but also voiced concerns about potential late-night noise from vehicles serving the arena and anti-social behaviour as a result of an upgraded walkway along the former railway embankments nearby.
Planning committee member and councillor Richard Lewis voted against the application, citing parking concerns.
Existing car parks will be demolished and new ones created as part of the St David’s regeneration – however, council officers said most current ones in the city centre were under-used.
Councillor Peter Black said he had quickly totted up a net loss of 372 parking spaces and said the issue needed to be addressed, notwithstanding overarching aims of discouraging car use.
A Rivington Land spokesman said there were currently some 1,000 parking spaces in the vicinity and that this provision would not decrease.
Councillor Des Thomas said: “I don’t think today is the day to look back at failures. I think it is the day to look forward. We cannot afford to stand still.”
And an operator for a new £70m indoor arena in the centre of Swansea will be confirmed later this month.
The winning bidder, from the current shortlist of two, will ensure the venue has events for 200-plus days of the year.
These would include concerts, touring shows, exhibitions, comedy nights and technology-focused events like gaming shows.
The planned arena would have an auditorium for 3,500 people, plus food and drink outlets.