Developer outlines plan to create premier city-centre business and leisure district

Richard Youle Local Democracy Reporter

A boutique cinema, apartments and restaurants are being proposed as part of what has been billed a new city-centre “premier business and leisure district”.

The 57 flats and 15,500sq ft of leisure and hospitality space would be in a block at the former St David’s Shopping Centre, Swansea. If all went to plan, it would be joined by six others and an annexe-style building to create the new Porth Copr district.

Porth Copr already has outline planning permission and work is due to get under way one on of the seven buildings – an office development for public and private sector workers which Swansea Council will own.

Next to come would be the residential and leisure block. The proposals were on show at Y Storfa, Oxford Street, on November 2.

Among those taking a look at them were Rhi Steele, of Swansea. “I’m really excited about it,” she said. “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 wondered 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 said.

Porth Copr is being taken forward by the council and its development partner Urban Splash, which is also leading on 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 of Porth Copr. “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.”

Mr Warburton said things like a gym, nursery, choice of hospitality outlets and evening options such as a cinema or a so-called competitive socialising space – think interactive darts, bowling and crazy golf in a single venue – were important these days.

Urban Splash is looking at a boutique cinema – a venue where you can have a meal beforehand and drinks brought to your seat – or, if not, a competitive socialising space for the new block.

Mr Warburton said there’d also be enough 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,” he 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, and there would be 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 57 apartments to an investor such as a pension company would help finance the building, which is 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 the majority of the funding would come from the private sector. It’s still early days though.

Asked if there was sufficient demand from potential Porth Copr tenants, Mr Warburton replied: “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 for the new block when it had detailed planning permission. He said the council’s cabinet also had to sign it off as part of the agreement between it and the company.

Mr Warburton anticipated a planning application being submitted for the block in 2027 with a two-year construction phase potentially starting in spring 2028.

Urban Splash is also working up plans for a development of 124 homes, half of which would be affordable, by the River Tawe in St Thomas along with some retail or leisure space.

And it has submitted a detailed planning application to overhaul the Civic Centre in a scheme estimated to cost up to £70 million with £20 million on offer from the UK Government, subject to criteria being met, to help pay for it.

The new-look Civic Centre, if the plans are approved, 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. He added: “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. It said people would be able to do that soon online.

The council added that discussions with organisations currently using buildings in the Porth Copr area were continuing, and a relocation plan for them 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 having previously had a diverse working remit geographically. “What really excites me is the opportunity to make a real difference at scale on multiple fronts,” he said.