A boutique cinema, 57 apartments and restaurants are proposed for a new block at Swansea's former St David's Shopping Centre, part of a wider "premier business and leisure district" called Porth Copr.
The residential and leisure block would include 15,500 sq ft of leisure and hospitality space. It is one of seven buildings planned for the district, which already has outline planning permission. Work is due to start on an office development that Swansea Council will own, with the residential and leisure block to follow.
Public reaction to the proposals
The proposals were displayed at Y Storfa, Oxford Street, on November 2. Rhi Steele, of Swansea, said: "I'm really excited about it. I think it's just what the city needs. I'd say the St David's area is the heart of the city and it's looking a bit underwhelming at the moment. You just hope they fill the units before they launch the site."
Lianne Vokes, who also viewed the information panels, agreed about the need to fill the units and asked about the impact of Porth Copr on St David's Priory Church, given it would be at its centre. "Is it happy to be surrounded by these other buildings?" she asked.
Developer's vision for the district
Porth Copr is being taken forward by the council and its development partner Urban Splash, which is also leading plans to transform the seafront Civic Centre. "The main focus is delivering a premier business and leisure district in Swansea," said Urban Splash development director David Warburton. "In Cardiff you've got Central Quay around the (rail) station - it's that clustering."
Mr Warburton said there had been a change in what businesses and commercial tenants sought in a development. "Pre-Covid the focus was on office space with some groundfloor 'active use', like food and beverage," he said. "These days giving people a desk in a well-designed office block is no longer enough." He said amenities like a gym, nursery, hospitality options and evening venues such as a cinema or a competitive socialising space were important.
Planned features and funding
Urban Splash is considering a boutique cinema, where meals and drinks could be served to seats, or alternatively a competitive socialising space. There would also be space for two restaurants and something like a Pret A Manger outlet. Above would be 57 one and two-bed apartments, ideally for private rental. "No affordable housing is proposed in this particular scheme," Mr Warburton said. "The council has been really successful in delivering affordable housing in the core of the city centre."
Parts of the block would face Swansea Minster and the listed former Swansea county court building, with a new courtyard called Frog Yard, named after the historic Frog Street. Mr Warburton said the block would be "unashamedly contemporary" but sympathetic to the historical context. Pre-selling the apartments to an investor such as a pension company would help finance the building, estimated to cost £25 million.
The other six blocks at Porth Copr would be office, education and commercial space, with one potentially including apartments, and most funding would come from the private sector. Asked about demand, Mr Warburton said: "There is but you've got to work really hard to convert it. The market is very tough at the moment. You can only deliver 'best in class' commercial space with best design and environmental credentials. And it's got to feel part of a broader place."
He said Urban Splash would only talk to prospective tenants once detailed planning permission was granted, and the council's cabinet also had to sign off on it. A planning application could be submitted in 2027, with a two-year construction phase potentially starting in spring 2028.
Other Urban Splash projects
Urban Splash is also working on plans for 124 homes, half of which would be affordable, by the River Tawe in St Thomas, along with retail or leisure space. It has submitted a detailed planning application to overhaul the Civic Centre, estimated to cost up to £70 million, with £20 million on offer from the UK Government subject to criteria being met. The new-look Civic Centre would comprise 130-138 apartments, commercial units and a mainly digital aquarium. Mr Warburton said the first units could potentially be available for fit-out in early 2028, adding: "We are at an advanced stage of aquarium operator discussions."
The council encouraged people to share their views on the new Porth Copr block and how the wider scheme could be phased, saying they would be able to do so online soon. It added that discussions with organisations currently using buildings in the Porth Copr area were continuing, and a relocation plan would need to be agreed ahead of any construction.
Council leader Rob Stewart said: "We want to develop these proposals with the people of Swansea and hear what people think before proposals are developed any further, but we're determined to see this part of Swansea city centre brought back into use, with more homes, businesses, shops and public spaces helping support the wider city centre." Mr Warburton said he was "massively" excited about Urban Splash's involvement in Swansea, adding: "What really excites me is the opportunity to make a real difference at scale on multiple fronts."
