Plans for massive skyscraper that would be the tallest in Wales
Plans for what would be the tallest building in Wales have been revealed.
The 50-storey building in the centre of Cardiff adjacent to the Principality Stadium would provide commercial space and more than 500 apartments.
The site already has full planning permission for a 35-storey, mixed-use development, providing commercial uses at ground floor, and residential homes above, which was granted on in May 2024.
REAP 3 Limited, a company that wants to transform land at Central Square in the centre of the Welsh capital, is now preparing a new planning application for the site.
The new proposals are seeking to build upon the success of the wider Central Square area, and proposes ‘a high quality mixed-use development that will create a new landmark at this important location in the heart of the city centre’.
The proposals include 528 new apartments, a wide range of residential amenities, a bike hub and flexible non-residential uses – 344 of the apartments will be one-bedroom, while 184 will boast two bedrooms.
The new building would easily be the tallest in Wales, dwarfing the 29-storey Meridian Tower in Swansea.
According to the design and access statement that forms part of the plans, the REAP 3 Limited says: “The site is located at a key junction in Cardiff city centre, positioned between Cardiff Central Station and the Principality Stadium.
“It forms part of a major pedestrian route connecting transport, retail, and civic destinations, and experiences extremely high footfall, especially on matchdays when the stadium hosts up to 80,000 visitors.
“This prominent setting places strong demands on the public realm to be resilient, legible, and welcoming, supporting both everyday use and peak crowd conditions. The proposal responds by embedding nature-based solutions, enhancing wayfinding, and delivering a landscape that supports climate resilience, biodiversity, and cultural identity.
The statement adds: “The success of the project will rely heavily on the quality of both the service provided and the environment created. High standards of design and finishes will be complemented by the thoughtful arrangement of spaces to enhance the resident experience. The entrance will be designed to ensure a secure, high-quality entry experience.”
A full planning application is to be submitted to Cardiff Council. Residents are invited to read further details of the plans and submit any feedback they may have HERE
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If there is so little need for business space on the city center, why then have the welsh government approved a massive business park on the edge of the city in st mellons? There is a mainline train station in the city centre. There is no train station in St mellons. And one doesn’t need to built any time soon. Need I say, vaughan, Jo stevens, all 3 of our non residential councillors and huw really pushed for that project to be approved. And for what, a massive business park that will most likely end up residential?
New offices being built nearby in John Street and Central Quay.
As big as this?
Any chance of a sky bar? Sundowner views would be amazing.
It seems to be one of those buildings you have to look up at it from down below only.
If Swansea has something, then Cardiff has to have something better.
Yet Swansea keeps on winning.
Their new corniche in the southern district of Las Mumblas is a hugely impressive high quality addition to the public realm that puts Cardiff to shame with its collapsing tatty pavements and rusty bins in Queen Street and the Hayes.
It’s just a shame you can’t get there with no direct bus from the station and a toy train that only runs half way.
Hopefully the building will drive economic growth for Cardiff City region.
One of Manchesters biggest buildings has a cool / hip bar (Cloud 23) and is surrounded by financial services organisations.
Swansea needs something similar at the site of the empty Debenhams store and the current adjoining Tesco supermarket. Swansea has sufficient shops out of town and needs more accomodation to complement SA1.
More flats with sky high rents owned by pension funds. Cardiff Council, you are an absolute disgrace. This is also an environmental catastrophe. Protesters should come from far and wide to stop it.
Unnecessary and ugly
Are rents in Cardiff too cheap?
Sometimes you wonder if Caernarfon and Caerdydd are on different planets and not part of the same nation.
Are you saying Caernarfon should be the capital or you don’t like seeing the capital develop into one of the best cities in Europe?
Everything is in Cardiff except blue sea water and clean air. There is no harm in pushing other towns upwards and share the abundance.
I agree but that’s not achieved by opposing or bemoaning private sector investment in Cardiff.
Yes, but the private investment was meant to build the mainline station in St mellons.
Even back in 1987 a railway station would have been a boon then, used to commute to Bristol and then into the Cardiff city centre from St Mellons and it was difficult using buses and the train. The east of Cardiff has no railway stations.
The central square is absolutely soulless and concrete blot on the landscape .
There’s no excuse not to have some giant (but movable for events) pop-up artworks to welcome visitors who can Instagram themselves sitting/lying/swinging all helping to promote the city for free to a global audience.
Pictures of people enjoying a continental lifestyle when unfortunately the reality will be a wind tunnel. It really needs a sky bar to make it something everyone can enjoy.