Work on a new mainline train station for Cardiff, with an adjacent new business district that long-term could be home to thousands of workers, is on track to start next year.
An outline planning application for the Cardiff Parkway project at St Mellons, with a new station and up to 900,000 sq ft of commercial development, is expected to be submitted to Cardiff Council next spring.
While Cardiff Parkway’s commercial element would be developed over a phased period, it is anticipated that the first wave of buildings will be completed alongside the train station in mid 2023.
Cardiff Parkway and its business district is being driven by entrepreneur Nigel Roberts and his son Andrew. They are being backed by financial services giant Investec and the Welsh Government, which has taken a 10% equity stake in the project. Cardiff Parkway is being delivered through holding company, South Wales Infrastructure Ltd (SWIL).
The station will be located on the existing South Wales to London Great Western Mainline that runs through the 160 acre site.
Cardiff Council has already identified phased commercial development for 900,000 sq ft at the St Mellons site in its local development plan.
The new station, which would also utilise existing relief lines, is aiming to secure 12 train services an hour (24 in and out), including two to London and four to Temple Meads.
While it would require agreement, SWIL is confident of Cardiff Parkway featuring as a future stop for South Wales to Paddington services.
Most Read
Nigel Roberts said: “We will not be building some soulless place in the middle of a field, but providing new road infrastructure, a new train station, public realm and hundreds of thousands of sq ft of new office space, with bars and restaurants too. It will also benefit from all the ancillary infrastructure like GP and dental surgeries, a gym and crèche facilities.
“However, we are not assuming anything on planning. As part of the pre-planning process we will be consulting with the local community and councillors to get their invaluable input. We are very open minded and certainly don’t claim to have all the good ideas.”
Mr Roberts said while it would be matter for detailed planning on total square footage, he is confident the first wave of commercial development at the business district, would attract strong tenant interest.
He said the scheme would be marketed as a “new city centre location” for Cardiff - benefiting from turn-up and go rail services to and from the current centre of the capital, with journey times of less than ten minutes.
The effervescent Mr Roberts added “From the train station itself you will just be a few steps away from a thriving business district not just for Cardiff, but the wider Cardiff Capital Region. Subject to planning, once we start work in the final quarter of next year and see buildings emerge, I am certainly confident that we will get the occupiers.”
He added: “There is already a shortage of grade A office space in the centre of Cardiff and we need to ensure that the Cardiff Capital Region is able to exploit the demand that is out there, not just from investors and firms looking to invest in the region for the first time, but also those indigenous firms requiring extra space to expand and create new jobs."
East Cardiff strategy
It comes as Cardiff Council has set out a new economic development strategy for the east of the city aimed at supporting some of the most deprived communities in Wales.
Don’t miss
Cabinet member for investment and development Russell Goodway, said: “It is clear that historically there has been under investment in the east of the city. The new East Cardiff strategy intends to change this trend by setting out a vision to provide new jobs in the area and to improve the chances for local residents to access employment.
“The completion of the Eastern Bay Link Road is long over-due, and the council is very supportive of the proposals for the new Cardiff Parkway station and development. The Cardiff Bay station is currently the most easterly station in Cardiff, and that can’t be right.”
On Cardiff Parkway he described it as a “game changer” and could pave the way for a series of new stations for the city, potentially exploiting freight lines.
He added: “It is anticipated that a planning application for Cardiff Parkway will be submitted in spring 2020, with the construction expected to be completed and the station operational by 2023. The broader development of the business park will then be completed over a 10-year period.
“We also want to improve connections for people in the east to the rest of the city and beyond so they have a better chance of accessing jobs.
"In the next few months the council will announce detailed plans for a new bridge over the river to improve bus connections linking Llanrumney to the park and ride facility on the A48. This could significantly reduce journey times to the city centre and improve access to key infrastructure in the city, such as the hospital.”
The new strategy is expected to be endorsed by cabinet on Thursday.
Mr Goodway added: “Business development outside the new proposed business park [Cardiff Parkway] is also critical to the success of this strategy and we will be looking at options to support existing businesses, as well as a longer-term vision to develop land around Lamby Way, as well as land to the south of Wentloog Avenue, Pengam Moor and Trowbridge Mawr.
“In this strategy, we are establishing clear policy in support of ‘green’ energy initiatives. Given the existing industrial legacy of the area, energy proposals that cannot demonstrate strong green credentials will not be supported by the council.”