Capital Quarter

Please let us know what you find out.

The Herbert St site is not big, so you wouldn't expect a huge variation in ground conditions that wouldn't have already been picked up by now. So if they've already done a propper SI for planning, I can't imagine why they'd go back to drill more holes (trial pits maybe, particularly if they're expecting obstructions for the piling) at this stage.

Saying that, they went for outline planning permission for the whole masterplan, so perhaps they left all the detailed ground inverstigation until later, when they start each plot. If you're familiar with the area, you'll pretty much know what to expect. I'm sure they'll be piling down the mudstone.

The ones in front of the carpark will be for No. 3.

Regardless, this sort of activiy is good news!

Couldn't get to talk to anyone but the drilling is still happening at the Herbert Street site. No sign of them on the other site though, but it was near the new almost finished car park rather than anywhere near the number 3 plot, so more like in readiness for Number 4 possibly.

Are tenants lined up to fill all this space?

Some of it Frank.

The almost finished number 2 is practically full before it's open so they are starting on number 3 because presumably there's also interest in that. J R Smart don't move quickly at all unless they know they have some potential tenants in place, just look how slow they were with number 1 until the Welsh Assembly Government stepped in.

As for the rest of the space I don't know, the remaining plots at Captial Quarter were down as being for things other than regular offices (e.g. A hotel) and a multi-storey car park. The car park is almost finished so other than number 3 it only leaves space for two or three more buildings (whatever they are) and they are done on that project.

However, they must be somewhere in the negotiations for this HMRC relocation, or this government 'hub' that we've read about, whether it's at this site or their John Street site which is plenty big enough if you build something a little bigger than the new Admiral office. They definitely seem to be lining something up called Number 4 judging by the placeholders they have for the project on their websites. There's also still demand, or so we are led to believe, from other companies as well. It just depends on how well they do up against Rightacres at their two projects.

As for the Herbert street site next door they have planning permission for apartmemts. Whether the drilling we've seen there recently is a sign they are about to start on that project or not who knows!

an application for plots I and J and L have been released on the cardiff planning app, which completes the remaining plots on the site.

no block L anymore its green space instead, very nice indeed. plus a nice new tower of 23 stories, so now we know the complete look of the area roll on the development.

Planning app is 16/01749

Must be why they were soil sampling just south of the new car park as well as the Herbert Street plot then.

Not had a good look yet but seems to be another office right next to Number 3 that's 7 floors in height and then a 21 floor residential building.

that certainly is interesting and whilst we can all dream, we have all been here before with developers promising jam tomorrow.

JR Smart have 3 apps in for this area (john Street, Herbert Street and Capital Quarter). Can a developer of this size handle all three projects at once - it would be nice to think they can - maybe they have a backer like L&G have backed rightacres?

my one wish in all of this is that with the same developer we may end up with some joined up thinking apropos of the railway arches and canal being brought back into public use. if they can somehow be connected under the railway line (I have no idea of the feasibility) then you'd certainly have a lively modern quarter of the city a la spinningfields M/cr

an application for plots I and J and L have been released on the cardiff planning app, which completes the remaining plots on the site.

Have you got a application number for these plans? I can't find them

http://planning.cardiff.gov.uk/online-a ... APR_117053

Reference 16/01749/MJR