Plans for a hotel, retail space and build-to-rent apartments, as part of the phased £100m mixed-use redevelopment of the historic Howells building in the centre of , will be submitted later this year.
Developer Thackeray Group, which acquired the listed 275,000 sq ft building out of property receivership in 2022, said it plans to submit a planning application in the third quarter (Q3) of this year for 200 build-to-rent apartments above the scheme’s Hayes and Trinity Street buildings. The application will also include 15,000 sq ft of retail space at the Hayes side of the site. The area, known as Hayes @Howells, is already being marketed to prospective occupiers. The building’s previous sole occupier, in department store House of Fraser, closed last year.
A separate planning application for a 120-bed hotel, with food and beverage space at ground floor level, at the Walter building fronting St Mary Street will be lodged towards the end of the year (Q4).
Thackeray said it was too early to say whether the hotel and build-to-rent schemes, subject to planning, would be sold on to specialist operators.
Thackeray recently secured planning consent from for phases two and three, which include 61 apartments, the restoration of the Bethany Chapel and Sunday , additional storeys to the Percy Thomas Wharton Street block, as well as partial demolition of the centre of the site to create new public realm, linking through to Cardiff Market.
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The first phase, which secured planning consent last year, centres on the redevelopment of the Percy building - the 1930s Percy Thomas designed separate site at the corner of St Mary Street and Wharton Street. Being marketed as the Percy, it will provides 25,000 sq ft of commercial space with its own rooftop terrace. It is expected to be let to an office or retail occupier.
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The Baptist chapel, which was originally constructed back in 1807 before being rebuilt in the 1820s and 1860s, could provide up to 15,000 sq ft of space. Marketed as the Bethany it is being described as an “iconic restaurant, food hall or leisure opportunity.” It is being opened up again as a central feature having been enclosed in the wider site since the 1960s.
Thackeray said it also intends this year to begin work on stripping buildings to shell and core, asbestos removal and demolition of the centre of the site, which extends to 1.7 acres.
Thackeray said that public realm and connectivity is at the heart of the development. Four new gateways into the site will be created from St Mary Street, Wharton Street, Trinity Street and from Cardiff Market. The intersection of the new routes will a creates a new central square.
The development has been designed by Welsh architect, Andrew Taylor from Patel Taylor with a sustainable focus with the repurposing and retrofitting of existing buildings. The developer said the extent of proposed demolition will enable the creation of open spaces which will contribute to deliver a substantial net biodiversity gain.
Giles Hoare investment director of Thackeray Group, said: “We have an amazing opportunity to initiate the transformation of Cardiff by creating a new heart to the city. Howells is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to breathe new life into one of Wales’ most iconic assets.
Chief executive Antony Alberti added: “Howells will deliver an exceptional mix of uses, new homes, state of the art offices, flagship retail and leisure along with the restoration of a grade II listed building and extensive public realm.”
Marketing agents for the overall scheme are Cardiff-based property advisory firm EJ Hales and the London office of CBRE.
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