New pictures reveal 29-storey apartment tower for controversial Guildford Crescent development

Alex Seabrook, local democracy reporter

New pictures have been revealed for a proposed 29-storey apartment tower on Guildford Crescent in Cardiff.

The building is planned on the former site of Gwdihŵ, a recently demolished music venue, and two former restaurants Madeira and Thai House. Most of the street was knocked down in 2019.

Before the old buildings were demolished, more than 1,000 people marched against the demolition plans, and 20,000 signed a petition to “save Gwdihŵ and Guildford Crescent”.

The tower would have 262 apartments with one or two bedrooms; which would be build-to-rent and likely owned by an institutional investor.

Now developers GallifordTry are consulting the public on the redevelopment, ahead of applying for planning permission in late April. As part of this pre-application consultation, full designs and pictures of the tower have been revealed.

The new building would be split into three levels, of 29, 25 and 21 storeys, and a roof terrace on the 26th floor, described in planning documents as “one of the very best roof terraces in Cardiff.”

The ground floor would have 450 square metres of commercial floor space, with most of the old frontages of the street kept. The demolition of the previous buildings left intact the facades. The new plans show however that the old frontage of Gwdihŵ would be knocked down.

Residents would have space to store one bicycle per apartment within the building; and there would be no car parking spaces.

Full details of the plans and how to respond to the consultation can be found on the website.

The closing date for the pre-application consultation is Monday, April 5. A separate public consultation will also later form part of the planning application.

Nearby, plans were also recently revealed to knock down Harlech Court on Bute Terrace—home to the popular bar, theatre and music venue Porter’s. Different developers there want to build a 35-storey apartment tower, which would be the tallest building in Wales.