£85m residential quarter planned for heart of city
PLANS for a £85m residential quarter in Cardiff providing more than 400 apartments have been submitted.
The proposed Kingfisher Quarter is a joint venture between real estate investment firm Angelo Gordon and residential investor and operator Ridgeback Group.
It is the latest residential scheme planned for the Dumballs Road regeneration area close to the city centre and just yards from Cardiff Central Railway Station.
If approved for planning, it will provide 433 new one- and two-bedroom apartments across two blocks, ranging in height from seven to 15 storeys.
The development has plans for rooftop gardens, while at groundfloor level there will be a number of commercial units surrounding a south-facing plaza.
The project’s backers have partnered with Cardiff-based Urban Centric to manage the development, working alongside Cardiff-based CW Architects.
Andrew Woods of Urban Centric, said: “For too long developments in the city have been dominated by student accommodation. This scheme will provide much-needed accommodation for people of all ages in a sustainable location within walking distance from Cardiff Central Station”
Chris Waterworth, director of CW Architects, said: “We are delighted to have our residential expertise recognised by the client group in this exciting emergent city quarter.”
Ridgeback Group has a residential portfolio in excess of 1,000 homes ranging from planning and in construction through to fully operational.
Chris Allen of Ridgeback Group, said: “Cardiff is one of the fastestgrowing cities in the UK. The redevelopment of Central Square, Central Quay and Dumballs Road ontinues to push the city centre southwards and we are excited to bring forward Kingfisher Quarter in the heart of this wider regeneration.”
The site was sold earlier this year to a joint-venture vehicle set up by Angelo Gordon and Ridgeback Group.
Planning for the project is expected to be determined in December. If approved, work will start on site in the second quarter of 2021, with the first units delivered in late 2022.
Residential developments at Dumballs Road, which could see several thousand new homes built, will be next to the Central Quay development on the former SA Brain & Co site.
The waterfront scheme, which could extend to around 14 acres, is the latest project from Cardiff-based and family-owned property development firm Rightacres Property.
Over the long term, Central Quay could see around 2.5 million sq ft of new office space, private residential apartments, restaurants and bars built.
With SA Brain & Co having relocated its office and brewing operation to Cardiff Bay, work is continuing on demolishing the site and preparing it for development.
A number of projects already have detailed planning consent, with the 160,000 sq ft Ledger building, a multi-storey car park and the redevelopment of the listed Brewhouse building.
The first project will be the Brewhouse, with construction on track to start in the final quarter of this year. It will be completed in late 2022.
The 60,000 sq ft scheme, designed by Cardiff-based architectural firm Rio, will include a six-storey extension separated from the main building via a full-length roof light, which will reveal internal views into the Brewhouse.
It will provide 54,000 sq ft of new office space and 10,000 sq ft of A3 leisure space (bars and restaurants).
The original brewhouse has been the home of a number of famous brewers including Hancocks, Welsh Brewers and more recently SA Brain & Co, before its relocation.
The office space will be targeted at established and start-up firms, including those from the fintech and tech sectors, which are experiencing strong growth in the city and the wider Cardiff Capital Region.
The bars and restaurants will also be targeted at indigenous operators.