Dizzy heights as capital’s tallest building complete

DEVELOPERS have celebrated reaching the top of Cardiff’s tallest accommodation block – but it’s not all good news.

Bridge Street Exchange, in Charles Street, Cardiff, was given planning approval as a student-only complex.

However, the owner has applied for a change of use to allow non-students to live in it.

Yesterday a ceremony was held to mark it reaching 85m.

It is Cardiff’s tallest building, beating the previous record-holders, Capital Tower, at 80m, and BT Tower, standing at 78m.

Developer Watkin Jones sold the building in 2016.

However, an application has been made to Cardiff council for a temporary change of use to allow both students and non-students to live there.

The development, which would house 477 students in a combination of “cluster” rooms and studio apartments, is due to be finished in August this year.

The application to Cardiff council reads: “With University courses commencing September 2018 this does not allow for adequate time to market or agree tenancies for all of the units.

“The group’s experience in developing and managing student accommodation shows that students prefer to see the accommodation before agreeing a tenancy.

“In this instance, there is a risk that the accommodation may not be fully occupied, particularly when students can start to book accommodation from May 2018.

“Allowing the temporary change of use to the student accommodation element of the development will enable the development the opportunity to be fully occupied for the 2018-2019 academic year.”

Livin Cardiff, in City Road, and Eclipse, in Newport Road Lane, are two other student blocks which have asked the council for a temporary change of use.

At the “topping-out” ceremony, Watkin Jones plc added the last cube of concrete to the top of building. Views from the top stretch to the bay, the Principality Stadium and Weston-super-Mare.