Huge plans have recently been revealed which could see Cardiff Bay completely transformed beyond recognition. A massive indoor arena could be built in the popular area of the city, as well as a new hotel and flats.
Earlier this week it was revealed that plans have been approved for a new indoor arena at Cardiff Bay and the wider redevelopment of Atlantic Wharf. The 17,000-capacity indoor arena will be built on the current site of the car park at County Hall and part of Schooner Way.
Construction work is due to begin this summer on what forms one of the major projects of Cardiff council, with the arena due to open in early 2025. Councillors on the planning committee granted permission for the arena on Wednesday, March 16, as well as the wider redevelopment with flats, hotels, museums, offices and more.
Graham Walters, chief operating officer of Live Nation UK venues, said: “We are delighted with this decision, one of the most significant and landmark developments in the region for some years, and we look forward to delivering our vision for a new arena with our partners and Cardiff council. A world-class arena, with a global reputation for culture, will transform Atlantic Wharf for local, national and international visitors to Cardiff, as well as facilitate job creation and economic growth in the region.”
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The wider development area covers 13.5 hectares, which includes areas such as:
- County Hall and its car park
- Red Dragon Centre and its car park
- Parts of Hemingway Road, Schooner Way, Lloyd George Avenue and Silurian Park
It includes 890 flats, hotels, offices, a replacement Red Dragon Centre, museums, tourist attractions, a multi-storey car park with 1,300 spaces, and a public square. You can read more about those plans here.
Currently, only the arena and a 182-bed hotel behind it have full planning permission, with the rest of the wider development given only outline permission. This means further planning applications will be made in future, with full details, for each part of the redevelopment. The arena will be built by developers Robertson Group and operated by Live Nation and Oak View Group. The group said 1,000 jobs would be created and millions of visitors brought to the city.
Elliot Robertson, Robertson CEO, said: “The planning department’s decision to grant planning permission for phase one of the development underpins the council’s commitment to regenerating Atlantic Wharf into a vibrant visitor destination within Cardiff Bay. We look forward to working with our partners to create a new destination that will not only breathe new life into the Bay area but will support local businesses and create new employment opportunities throughout the city.”
The plans for the wider masterplan, which have also been approved by the council's planning committee, will be further developed in order that detailed applications can be submitted for:
- Up to 890 residential dwellings
- 1090 hotel bed spaces
- 19,500 sq m of office space
- 27,500 sq m of leisure floorspace
- 12,310 sq m of retail floor space alongside associated landscaping, drainage, bicycle and car parking and other transport infrastructure.
Recently, it was also reported that County Hall, the headquarters of Cardiff council, could soon be knocked down and replaced with flats and hotels. The building overlooks the Bute East Dock in the Atlantic Wharf and was opened in 1988, initially as the home of the former South Glamorgan county council.
But under new plans, as part of the indoor arena redevelopment, County Hall would be replaced with hotels and apartment towers reaching up to 17 storeys tall. Cardiff council’s planning committee gave permission for the redevelopment on Wednesday, March 16, prompting questions over where the council’s headquarters is relocating.
As well as building a huge new arena with a capacity of 17,000, the council is planning to redevelop the wider 13-hectare area around the Atlantic Wharf. This would include:
- Closing part of Hemingway Road and turning it into a public square
- Building new hotels
- Museums
- More offices
- A metro station
At this stage, full details are only available for the arena and a hotel behind it, as these were given full planning permission, with the rest of the development given only outline planning permission. This means separate applications will be made in future with full details of the flats and hotels set to replace County Hall, and the rest of the wider redevelopment.
According to planning documents, County Hall would be demolished at some point between 2029 to 2031. The wider redevelopment is aimed to be fully complete by 2032.
A council spokesperson said: “The council is currently reviewing its office requirements following the pandemic and anticipates taking a decision on its future core office requirements later in 2022." The masterplan for the Atlantic Wharf redevelopment is not set in stone and could change to keep County Hall where it is, depending on the council’s decision on whether to relocate.
