General Developments

Well that was unexpected. How tall is it meant to be?

I think the tallest tower is 97.5 metres or 319feet! pretty impressive for Cardiff

Bloody hell. Indeed.

I see it’s another student accommodation. What I don’t understand is where are all the students coming from. While the universities may be increasing numbers, they surely can’t be at the rate of new accommodation builds. So there must be some mass migration happening within the city that is hidden from view. If the existing students are vacating areas around the city centre, then the existing housing stock must be changing in occupiers and culture, but I don’t see it happening….

I see it’s another student accommodation. What I don’t understand is where are all the students coming from. While the universities may be increasing numbers, they surely can’t be at the rate of new accommodation builds. So there must be some mass migration happening within the city that is hidden from view. If the existing students are vacating areas around the city centre, then the existing housing stock must be changing in occupiers and culture, but I don’t see it happening….

My guess would be that alot of the students aren't vacating the homes after their courses are complete - many are choosing to stay in Cardiff, as a result this pool of student homes is drying up...

I have no figures to back this up however - but hey, that's good enough to become President of the USA these days so...

The medicine degree at Cardiff has an approx annual intake of 300. Add in equally big courses on Law, Engineering routes etc & there are certainly bods to potentially take these rooms. Add in USW, Cardiff Met, RWCMD etc then its clear there is a market.

One good thing that may come of this is existing Uni halls of residence will either be upgraded or better still cld be turned into much needed teaching space. Teaching space/research space is vital to get up tbe league tables.

I see it’s another student accommodation. What I don’t understand is where are all the students coming from. While the universities may be increasing numbers, they surely can’t be at the rate of new accommodation builds. So there must be some mass migration happening within the city that is hidden from view. If the existing students are vacating areas around the city centre, then the existing housing stock must be changing in occupiers and culture, but I don’t see it happening….

I think a few things are happening.

First, I think there is a growth in the number of overseas post-grad students in quite a few universities - which probably includes Cardiff?

Second, I think more students attending University in Pontypridd or Newport are choosing to live in Cardiff, and commute via train (its quite an easy commute, and may not be all that costly if lectures are a couple of days a week).

Third I think while Cathays is remaining very studently, parts of Roath have become less studenty.

Fourth. I wouldn't be surprised if developers are willing to tolerate quite a few empty rooms - they can still make a profit given the high rents they are able to charge on the rooms that are let.

Wouldn't know how to quantify each of these factors. And they're just hunches.

Students always used to go into halls for the first year and then get a house with their mates from the 2nd year onwards. I assume this isn't the case with these new students residences?

Cardiff could certainly do with Cathays/Roath housing stock back for residential. I can't imagine moving home and wanting to live on one these massive new housing developments with no shops or transport. There must be a lot of people who'd rather live central with all the amenities and within walking distance to town.

I’m assuming for all the first year students arriving there are approximately the same number of final year leaving (ignoring the dropouts). Growth is therefore additional net new students or recently graduated students choosing to live in Cardiff post uni. The question would be then if Cardiff as a city is seeing an increasing population comprising mostly of 20 year olds. Don’t know if such stats are gathered, I would presume so.

With the restriction on issuing new HMO licenses in Cathays and Roath, existing houses with HMO licenses are in demand and not likely to be turned back to single family residences. But if a high number of recent graduates stay and share houses, I can see how such an increase of new growth of purpose built student housing is sustained.

I see it’s another student accommodation. What I don’t understand is where are all the students coming from. While the universities may be increasing numbers, they surely can’t be at the rate of new accommodation builds. So there must be some mass migration happening within the city that is hidden from view. If the existing students are vacating areas around the city centre, then the existing housing stock must be changing in occupiers and culture, but I don’t see it happening….

I believe that its part of a push from the council to free up homes in Cathays so they can become residential and less studentified. Cardiff has a really bad housing shortage as it is, and this, is a way of freeing up more houses in the short term before any of the longer-term goals for the LDP are achieved.

So the master plan is to building 10 to 15 30+ storey blocks for "Students"
All coming on line in 2 to 5 years.
If the massive student bubble doesn't materialise then they can of course all be converted to residential flats, well single bedroom residential flats-lets. Perfect for the Uber/Deliver-Roo generation who can live there until either the type 2 diabetes or dementia kicks in and then they can be slowly turned into high rise care homes.

Other UK cities don't seem to be so focused on Students.
https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/high-rise-bonanza-as-liverpool-council-approves-five-new-towers/10019216.article

Looks great... get building

Thing is with this type of thing is that it can always be converted to bigger appartments or offices at a later date.

I like the way Cardiff is growing... definatley starting to think like a capital city of a country