Businesses along Churchill Way have claimed that ongoing construction work to create Cardiff's new Canal Quarter along it has resulted in lower footfall, disruption on pedestrian paths and an increase in crime. The huge construction project, which is due to complete by the end of summer, will feature a series of rain gardens, bridges and viewing platforms alongside the newly exposed canal which promises to create a "new district centre for the city and act as a catalyst for new investment".
The Dock Feeder Canal on Churchill Way, which starts at Queen Street at the Capitol Shopping Centre, once formed an integral part of the city's canal network and had been covered for 70 years until it was revealed again in September last year. The re-development of the canal, which began in February 2022, is part of the council’s plan to develop a “green public realm” with “rain gardens”, outdoor seating with canal views and an amphitheatre-style “outdoor performance area”. You can see how the transformation looks so far here.
The rain gardens will be built with specific soil and planting to treat the surface water to remove pollutants before the water flows into the canal. This means a total of 3,700m2 of water will be diverted away from the sewage system each year, reducing the cost and energy of treating this water through the sewage pumping station at Cardiff Bay, according to a Cardiff council spokesperson.
