General Developments

The surface car park next to the big multistory in the bay has some machinery digging holes in it today. Is the purported office building starting development?

I though I'd mention that this is still ongoing. There are three rigs on the site and they've been carrying out a very thorough ground survey.

It would be a very odd thing to do unless there was something imminent - I've no idea what it might be though. I can't imagine them trying spec-build offices to compete with with Capital Quarter and Central Square. It could be a pre-let, I suppose, or maybe something residential.

It's going to be a Premier Inn. The DAS is here -

http://planning.cardiff.gov.uk/online-a ... 769517.pdf

My first impression is that the building is absolutely awful. The architects have phoned it in. It also underlines, for me, what a bloody mess the Bay is in danger of becoming.

I quite like it, but i am still hungover so my brain is not working properly at the moment.

Well solved, Karl!

I don't much like it either. Given the other rubbish nearby - I can't stay I'm stunned by the poor quality of the design. Ty Hywel, Scott Harbour and Caspian Point are all pretty horrid. I guess this completes the quartet!

So there's 3 buildings for that plot - is it just the Hotel that is being constructed now?

My apologies - It probably isn't under construction yet, just test drilling

So there's 3 buildings for that plot - is it just the Hotel that is being constructed now?

They're seeking detailed consent for the hotel - and outline consent for the office blocks. I presume the hotel is a done deal but that the offices may still be some way away.

My first reaction wasn't good, i dont like the gimmicky windows and industrial yellow bars, but thinking its location through i dont think it will be that bad. I think it ties in quite well with the quirkier designs in Porth Tiger (which is clearly visible at the end of the street) and if the materials are good (as indicative in a picture) then i think it could be quite striking next to the equally quirky Millennium center (though a reflection of that buildings design would probably be more apt). Pierhead street still remains unfinished, and is the more important street to get right with any office developments, though any focus is at the the end of it with the pierhead, st daivds and Senedd forming a nice trio. With the wavy car park and a hotel full of port holes i think this area may start to feel themed.

I think this one is going to all come down to materials. Especially with the very white colour of the bricks. The port holes are a bit forced and too regular, but I think it could look a lot better if it's built right.

I was wondering what was going on because they have been doing work there for about two weeks now. I can't access the link - it says documents unavailable - so I'm intrigued now....

It did somewhat come out of the blue didn't it - shows we're not as ahead of the game as I thought we were on this forum

I noticed that the Travelodge on the other side of the Red dragon complex is starting to look decidedly dirty on the road facing flank. The white panels are desperate for a jet wash - could start to look really grubby within a few years I fear.

Render has fallen off the social housing tower on Celestia (the Pierhead St tower) so the ground entrance is covered by scaffolding for H&S purposes. In addition there has been scaffold at the foot of the largest tower for three months - I don't know why but nothing is happenning there at all. The development is starting to show quite major facade faults which doesn't bode well for the future. If Altolusso (the other big Cardiff Redrow residential build of the first decade of the millennium) starts to get 'render issues' then the owners are going to be looking at a substantial repairs bill now that the 10 year insurance cover is up.