Work on new rail station could begin next year
WORK on a new mainline train station for Cardiff is on track to start next year.
The Cardiff Parkway project at St Mellons would consist of a new station and a massive commercial development that could provide work for thousands of people.
An outline planning application is expected to be submitted to Cardiff Council next spring.
While Cardiff Parkway’s commercial element would be developed over a phased period, it is anticipated that the first wave of buildings will be completed alongside the train station in mid 2023.
The station would be on the existing South Wales to London Great Western Mainline.
The aim is to secure 12 train services an hour (24 in and out), including two to London and four to Temple Meads, from the station.
While it would require agreement, developers are confident Cardiff Parkway will feature as a future stop for South Wales to Paddington services.
Cardiff Parkway and its business district is being driven by entrepreneur Nigel Roberts and his son Andrew.
They are being backed by financial services giant Investec and the Welsh Government, which has taken a 10% equity in the project.
Cardiff Parkway is being delivered through holding company South Wales Infrastructure Ltd (SWIL).
Cardiff Council has already identified phased commercial development for 900,000 sq ft at the 160-acre St Mellons site in its local development plan.
Nigel Roberts said: “We will not be building some soulless place in the middle of a field, but providing new road infrastructure, a new train station, public realm and hundreds of thousands of sq ft of new office space, with bars and restaurants too.
“It will also benefit from all the ancillary infrastructure like GP and dental surgeries, a gym and crèche facilities.
“However, we are not assuming anything on planning. As part of the preplanning process we will be consulting with the local community and councillors to get their invaluable input. We are very open minded and certainly don’t claim to have all the good ideas.”
Mr Roberts said while it would be matter for detailed planning on total square footage, he is confident the first wave of commercial development at the business district would attract strong interest.
He said the scheme would be marketed as a “new city centre location” for Cardiff – benefiting from rail services to and from the current centre of the capital, with journey times of less than 10 minutes.
He said: “From the train station itself you will just be a few steps away from a thriving business district not just for Cardiff, but the wider Cardiff Capital Region. Subject to planning, once we start work in the final quarter of next year and see buildings emerge, I am certainly confident that we will get the occupiers.”
He added: “There is already a shortage of grade A office space in the centre of Cardiff and we need to ensure that the Cardiff Capital Region is able to exploit the demand that is out there, not just from investors and firms looking to invest in the region for the first time, but also those indigenous firms requiring extra space to expand and create new jobs.”
It comes as Cardiff council has set out a new economic development strategy for the east of the city aimed at supporting some of the most deprived communities in Wales.
Cabinet member for investment and development Russell Goodway said: “It is clear that historically there has been under-investment in the east of the city. The new East Cardiff strategy intends to change this trend by setting out a vision to provide new jobs in the area and to improve the chances for local residents to access employment.
“The completion of the Eastern Bay Link Road is long overdue, and the council is very supportive of the proposals for the new Cardiff Parkway station and development. The Cardiff Bay station is currently the most easterly station in Cardiff, and that can’t be right.”
He described Cardiff Parkway as a “game changer”, and said it could pave the way for a series of new stations for the city, potentially exploiting freight lines.
He added: “It is anticipated that a planning application for Cardiff Parkway will be submitted in spring 2020, with the construction expected to be completed and the station operational by 2023.
“The broader development of the business park will then be completed over a 10-year period.”
The new strategy is expected to be endorsed by cabinet on Thursday.