A block of 353 flats has been given formal approval by council bosses after a years-long process to clean up the site and secure planning permission. The land, East Bay Close in Cardiff was the site of a shocking amount of fly tipping and took a huge effort to clear.
Developers CNM Estates first revealed plans for the 10-storey building in June 2022 which included 353 flats, split approximately 50/50 between one-bedroom and two-bedroom. The designs also include a "community garden" and parking spaces for 49 cars and 530 bikes.
The block will be located directly next to the A4234 Central Link flyover south of Cardiff city centre. It was formerly the home of the Stratstone Volvo dealership, and parts of the new development will be directly under the flyover.
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Cardiff Council's planning officers recommended approving the application in January 2023 but approval was delayed until a Section 106 agreement was signed - a pledge by developers to pay money towards local services in areas where they build something that will have an impact on them.
The agreement includes a contribution of £3,718,880 towards affordable housing on a different site, £141,318 towards education, £180,000 towards highways and transportation, £139,862 towards public open spaces £303,668 in a "community facility contribution" and £16,272 in an "economic development contribution."
There are different trigger points for this to be paid - for instance, 25% of the affordable housing contribution needs to be paid before the first flat is occupied, and the remaining 75% should be paid when all the units are occupied. Several parts of the agreed sum are due on "implementation of the planning permission," although some (like the education contribution) are also linked to the occupation of the first unit.
Section 106 agreements are binding on developers but there have been cases where Cardiff Council has agreed to reduce the amount required - like in the case of Cardiff Pointe where developers contributed towards the Ice Arena and had their S106 obligations delayed. You can read the full Section 106 agreement here.
CNM Estates' website refers to the planned East Bay Close building as "a truly sustainable and affordable development on a brownfield and highly accessible site," saying it will "assist in regenerating the area of the city, giving more people access to urban living in the City of Cardiff."
The description continues: "This scheme marks the first CNM Estates project that has adopted a OnePlanet Living framework throughout the design with the proposals emphasising landscaping and amenity space, incorporating features that consider the health and wellbeing of our residents."
