Contact: Paul Tel: 0790 3366 024 Email: paulsims349@gmail.com |
| about The Developments Map The purpose of this map is to show all ongoing developments in Cardiff city centre/Cardiff Bay, to provide a render of the finished development, the planning application and photographic development updates. Also proposed developments in the city centre of Cardiff. There are also links from existing structures and other sites of interest. The map is ever evolving and I intend it to be THE place on the internet with such information on Cardiff city developments and construction projects and all on one page! Also on the map are all City Centre Hotels and major student accomodation residencies with links for students looking for rental accomodation. Cardiff now has many BTR co-living developments and the map shows all of them in city centre and Cardiff Bay area with link to websites for further information / to rent. Manhattan we are not! but... There's no denying that the Cardiff skyline has changed significantly over the last couple of decades and that trend continues with a fair number of high-rise developments planned or underway. This is my flickr album showing our evolving skyline. As a matter of interest my favourite view of our skyline is from Pembroke terrace on the Penarth headland up by St Augustines church (latest photos from here now in album following my visit on 19th Jan 2020). Whilst even I accept we will never have a skyline to rival bigger cities, our city centre is quite small and therefore even though the buildings we have and those in the pipeline are not very tall, the fact that they are contained in a compact area does make for an interesting skyline, so we haven't got Manhattan, canary Wharf or even Manchester looking nervously over their shoulders, but nevertheless we can still achieve a pretty impressive skyline for a smallish city. |
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 CENTRAL SQUARE PLOT 5 - 50 Storey proposal |
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DEVELOPMENT: |
STATUS: | HEIGHT: | MORE INFORMATION: |
Central Sq. plot 5 Build to Rent/Pavillion |
169metres 554ft | The last piece of the central square jigsaw. Also if built this will become the tallest building in Wales, finally taking back the title from Swansea's Meridian Quay 107m tower. Whilst planning app is approved I believe that we will not see activity on site until the start of 2026. 6-8-25 this one just keeps getting better and taller 169metres - 554ft! latest exciting proposal here This proposal is pretty spectacular and if built will give Cardiff/Wales its first ever actual skyscraper, the definition of which is generally a building over 150metres. This building would be the centrepiece of the Cardiff skyline and improve it significantly - in my opinion. The colonnade at the base of the building is of a quality that we've not seen in cardiff and that colonnade at 4 storeys means that it's not just the height of this building that will be impressive. I actually believe that at 554ft a public space at the top would be very popular offering spectacular views, whether that be a restaurant, bar or coffee shop? or perhaps just a viewing platform - maybe I'm getting carried away but I genuinely think visitors and "locals" alike would want to experience the top of this tower. Anyway I'll fret about these matters later just hope this stucture is actually built first! :) you can view all the plans wating for consideration here  plots 4 & 5 central square colonnade |
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Customhouse Street Tower Build to Rent |
104 metres 341ft | 9yrs ago some were very excited about this 42 storey student accomodation tower. All ready for take-off and then... nothing - glass needle flashback! :) Will it re-emerge? maybe build to rent? who knows! 5-3 25:.... All change at this site yet again! Watkin-Jones are now proposing a build to rent 400 unit 104 metre tower. Planning application here | |
John St - North Build to Rent |
consultation 24/12/25 |
95 metres 311ft | Two more Build to rent towers for area North of John Strreet, Callaghan Square. One of 38 storeys and the other 18 also if this development comes to fruition then a number of the railway arches will be renovated and put back to use.The Company driving this development is Grainger who recently delivered copperworks no distance away at capital quarter |
Harlech Court |
Proposal Here | 100metres? 328ft? |
This is an interesting proposition! will it happen? well Porters Bar have moved on the strength of demolition, so just maybe. Also the development has shrunk in height from original proposal which in one graphic showed it to be about the height of the Shard!! If this development proceeds we may at last see the end of that brown glass turd that can't be polished!! 5-3 -25: Harlech court is being demolished (although it's taking ages) and replacement development has been approved 11th August 25. Demolition seems to be almost complete but plenty of demolished building still to be removed from site photo from 8th August here 10:12:25 work on demolition and clearing site still on going photo here |
Fitzalan Place Student Accommodation |
Planning App - Approved | 100metres 328ft | This to replace Hallinans House - it's still standing, empty and forlorn. Will these 3 joined towers get built - who knows! 5-3 -25: Stll no activity on site and after so much time it seems unlikely that this development is still going to happen? maybe it will re-emerge as BTR - like customhouse street development has? DEC 25 - zero activity, it's looking increasingly unlikely that this project will advance, which leaves a key plot in this area for alternative development - could we have another BtR proposal here? maybe we'll learn more in 2026? |
Guildford Crescent Build to Rent apartments |
Under Construction planning application |
96metres 314ft | Bit of a controversial one here, with the loss of the original Guildford St crescent terraced properties. A substantial tower, that will be tallest in Cardiff - until Central Sq. plot 5 gets built (hopefully) 5-3-25: the new tower is full steam ahead and with an interesting method of construction - units arrive complete with cladding and are affixed to tower on site - recent progress photos here |
Central Quay phase 2 plot 1 Build to Rent apartments |
Under Construction planning application |
90.5metres 296ft | 30 floors and 402 rental apartments, a very substantial development at Central Quay. This is now the tallest building in Cardiff and the 2nd tallest in Wales. |
Gramercy Tower
- Curran Road Build to Rent apartments |
Completed 2024 planning application |
85metres 278ft | This slim tower of 27 floors will contain 188 rental apartments, also some greenery on the 14th floor and roof level. |
Friary House, Greyfriars Road Student Accommodation |
Planning Application - Approved | 84metres 275ft | Just when we thought that the huge development student accomodation bubble had burst - this one comes along! If built this will be a great shot in the arm for this part of town. And a high rise neighbour for Capital Tower! |
Capital Tower offices |
Completed 1968 | 83metres 272ft | This no nonsence office tower has become something of a Cardiff icon! I don't have a link to the original planning app but I believe that the parchment can be viewed in the museum! :) |
Wood Street House Central Square |
Completed 2023 | 83metres 272ft | A massive build to rent development at Central Square. Judging by the number of apartment lights on at night it looks very well occupied, perhaps providing encouragement for plot 5 to proceed? |
Zenith Tower Student Accommodation |
Completed 2020 | 81metres 265ft | The tower element of this development is the tallest building at capital quarter, with mid rise fronting Tyndall St. |
Bridge Street Exchange Student Accommodation |
Completed 2019 | 81metres 265ft | Another substantial student accomodation development on bridge street |
Stadium House offices |
Completed 1976 | 78metres 255ft | This building was given a makeover in 2002, when it was clad in a lighter colour and they added the fancy bit and spire on top (the inspiration behind the NYC freedom towers similar rooftop spire! - ok that's only a rumour.... started by me!!) |
Copper Works - Capital Quarter Build to Rent apartments |
Completed 2024 | 76metres 249ft | This Tower is another build to rent development at Capital Quarter, providing another 307 rental apartments in Cardiff city centre. More information here |
Central Quay plot 2 Build to Rent apartments |
Under Construction planning application |
74metres 209ft | 313 rental apartments - 23 storeys - 75metres see progress here |
Altolusso Apartments |
Completed 2005 | 72metres 236ft | Apartment block and apartments that can be brought - before the build to rent boom started in Cardiff- photos here |
Radisson Blu Hotel |
Completed 2009 | 72metres 236ft | |
For top quality Cardiff/Welsh gifts and souvenirs visit GfW.Cymru
State of play...JAN 2026 |
what will we get in 2026?
Cardiff city centre/bay would just be one big building site! 0f course that won't happen. But what am I hoping gets underway in 2026? it's quite a list. Actually to begin, what is underway at this moment.
The new 6th form campus in Cardiff Bay will be completed and operational this year! surely this will inject life into the area at the end of Bute St. and the cory and merchant place buildings will be rejuvenated by their transformation. So that's 600 students on a daily basis occupying the buildings and many living in the area. This will be a great boost for historic lower Bute street
The student accommodation
development at pierhead st will presumably be completed and occupied by sept this yr.
Whilst still in the area the other very significant development is our new 16,500 arena at Atlantic Wharf which will be very advanced by the end of 2026 - bringing it's own potential excitement to the area. Not sure if travelodge will have been demolished by the end of year but the new one behind arena will probably be topped out by dec26 also cardiff county hall being constructed in red dragon car park will be at a very advanced stage - if not completed? So generally in Cardiff Bay there's plenty going on! Although some projects have gone quiet or maybe are just no longer procceding ie Baltic House conversion to appartments with 6 storey extension, this was approved in april 24 but no sign of any work commencing on site?
also in the area the proposal of 58 residential units on wasteland off adelaide street/James St seems to have dissapeared?
God knows where we are with the latest plans for the Sports Village, but perhaps in 2026 we'll hear of even more plans but with no actual work bringing those plans to fruition. Let's face it the number of visions for the Sports Village is off the clock... Mini Manhattan, Dubai style towers, Super casino, 7 star hotel, Ski Slope, Velodrome... apologies if I've missed any pie in the sky ISV Fantasy! But surely the area does have potential so just maybe in 2026 we'll see something get off the ground!?
Moving towards city centre... on the atlantic wharf side we have the proposed and approved student accom. development, The Wharf. This was approved nov. 25 no activity on site as of jan 26, but it's only been 2 months since approval so perhaps we'll see some activity soon/this year?
On the other side of bute st/ Dumballs road we have the Embankment development with approval signed in 2023 21/00783/MJR. This is a significant development to the west of dumballs road. No construction is underway yet but the site is slowly being cleared. The laundry was demolished late 2025, this project will be phased so hopefully we'll learn something "concrete" pardon the pun about phase 1 before the end of 2026
Approaching the city centre the next development that has planning approval subject to completion of a section 106 agreement is Trade Street Gardens, that's 245 rental apartments, pretty much replacing sussex house. That's a 12 storey structure at it's tallest, an empty Sussex house is still standing at the site with no sign of any demolition? whether this development proceeds - who knows! But if it is going to be built then surely we'll see something happening on site during 2026
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MAJOR
DEVELOPMENTS
Cardiff city centre/Cardiff Bay visitor map Student Accomodation Cardff City Centre:
Bradley Court Crown Place Eclipse Exchange (Bridge Street) Glendower House Liberty Bridge Lumis Student Living Northgate House Shand House Summit House The Fitzalan The Bakery Windsor House Zenith Hotels on map Cardiff City Centre and Cardiff Bay: WEBCAM
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Skyscraper City Forum - Cardiff