Latest Development News » Swansea Bay news information

Observatory tower, Maritime Quarter

Chance to snap up landmark Swansea building

Swansea Council is marketing The Observatory on the seafront by inviting interested parties to submit their proposals and financial offers for the building by the end of March 2012. The five-storey Observatory was built in 1988 and includes a domed roof and an access tower that houses a spiral staircase with balconies linking the structures at each upper level. The building also includes a stained-glass roof by internationally-renowned artist David Pearl and panels of carved poetry by Welsh poet Nigel Jenkins. It is located on the beachfront within a stone's throw of the SA1 development, Swansea city centre and Swansea Marina.

More work on Swansea's gateway

Work on giving Swansea's busiest road a multi-million pound new look is likely to start in the autumn 2012. Close to £9 million will go on creating a European-style boulevard along Oystermouth Road. The council-backed scheme includes a tree-lined central reservation, better access to the Waterfront Museum and the LC as well as wide pavements. The work will take place between Albert Row and the Tawe bridges.

Boost for Swansea city centre as regeneration bid moves forward

Swansea Council and the Welsh Government unveiled plans to demolish part of the St David's Shopping Centre under major regeneration plans for the city centre. Since then the council has lodged a planning application to create a temporary 160-space car park by the end of the year. The council will be working with its partner, development company Hammerson, to consider proposals for the site as part of its overall strategy for improving retail in the city centre.

Final phase of £1m streets improvement

New street paving, street furniture and signage is being installed on Singleton Street, Dilwyn Street, Westway, Plymouth Street and part of Lower Oxford Street under a scheme worth over £1 million. The work is the last stage of a two-phase project, set to finish in the spring, that's aimed at generating a more pedestrianfriendly environment for shoppers that's more closely linked to the pedestrianised area.

£1m to revamp Parade

Close to £1 million is to be spent on improving a Neath street at the heart of the town’s nightlife. Work on upgrading The Parade is set to start within the next few months and is likely to take until the autumn to complete. The upgrade is part of the previouslyannounced £14 million package of improvements for Neath and Port Talbot town centres and the Afan Valley village of Croeserw.

Jobs pledge for 'over Milk Wood' holiday park re-vamp in Laugharne

A company hopes to create more than 100 jobs in Carmarthenshire by redeveloping its holiday park. Seasons Holidays is to replace the 77 chalets at Laugharne Park with 212 holiday lodges, 48 apartments and a new club house and leisure facilities. Seasons Holidays owner Barry Hurley said it would create 57 jobs during construction and 110 jobs once completed. He said the company estimated it would increase visitor spending in the area by £2.9m a year.

£231 million boost for Swansea Bay schools

The funding is part of the Welsh Government's 21st Century Schools programme. As well as three new primary schools the £51 million to be ploughed into Swansea's schools will also pay for significant upgrades at other schools, including Pentrehafod comprehensive. More than £90 million is on its way to help breathe new life into many of Neath Port Talbot's schools. £87 million of new money will mean that a dozen schools in Carmarthenshire can be built or refurbished. The Government funding when added to money from Carmarthenshire Council should allow £151 million to be spent on county schools by 2020.

Swansea's Hafod Copperworks wins £540,000 grant

Swansea's historic Hafod copperworks site is to open to the public thanks to a grant in the region of £540,000. Work could start early this year on the scheme that will include tourist trails, a visitor gateway and an annual on-site event that will celebrate the copper industry and both its local and global history. The works will be phased and should be complete by the end of 2013.

Work to begin on Swansea Bay Watersports centre

Swansea Bay's new watersports centre is set to break ground early in 2012. The facility on the prom opposite St Helen's, will house changing rooms, showers, toilets, and an area to store specialist watersports equipment. Kite-surfing, kite-buggying and stand-up paddle boarding are among the activities that could feature at the centre while lifesaving courses could also be run from the building. See also: Tourism hub set to be developed in Mumbles

Artists impression of Mumbles Pier

First stages of Mumbles pier development plans

A £9 million virtual rebuild that will include a modern replacement lifeboat house. Plans include everything from a luxury hotel to seafront apartments. The latest artist's impression also includes sight of a new cantilevered pedestrian boardwalk. Building work is scheduled to start in March 2012. The estimated completion for the joint AMECO and RNLI project is the end of 2013. The entire scheme would create 200 jobs during construction and 160 jobs once up and running. See also: Plans for £39m hotel complex on Mumbles Head given green light & Mumbles Pier and RNLI lifeboat station plan backed

Oxwich Bay, Gower

Coal House conversion to create new restaurant at Oxwich Bay

A building which was used to store coal brought in by boat to Oxwich Bay is to be restored and turned into a new restaurant. Plans submitted by Thomas Methuen-Campbell which would see the old coal house restored to become a new restaurant with seating for 68 covers inside and a potential 86 covers outside.

New promenade plan for Pendine

A village famous for its land-speed record attempts will see work start in 2012 on a £500,000 project to improve the seafront and boost tourism. A new promenade will be built at Pendine in Carmarthenshire, complemented by landscaping works.

Developers' new £10m land deal to boost SA1

A multi-million pound housing development is expected to start in Swansea this year. Developer Landas has bought a 2.2 acre site in the city's SA1 quarter with a view to developing 50 homes. The firm has bought the land on the east side of the Prince of Wales Dock from the Welsh Government for the £10 million development which is likely to support 30 construction jobs. Landas is currently involved in developing a multi-storey car park on the site and was responsible for renovating the Ice House which is now trading as an art gallery and wine bar.

Final copper site to make way for flats

Barratt Homes South Wales has been granted listed building consent to convert a former copper smelting hall at the Upper Bank Copper Works into 12 two-bedroom apartments. The smelting hall is a grade two listed building which was part of the original copper works established at the site in 1755. It is the last remaining building at the works which have now, along with the former Addis factory, been completely demolished to make way for Barratt's development, Copper Quarter.

£13.5m to create 1,000 jobs park at Cross Hands

A new employment park is to be built in Carmarthenshire which could bring more than 1,000 jobs to the area. The Welsh Government has announced a plan to invest £13.5m in developing the business park at Cross Hands. The money will pay for new roads and other infrastructure at the site called Cross Hands East, next to Cross Hands Business Park. Officials at Carmarthenshire council will manage the project, with the authority investing £4m.

£107m link road project gathers speed

Work on Port Talbot's multi-million pound new dual carriageway is gathering speed. The Harbour Way Project is now nearly a third of the way through and is on track for completion in September 2013. The £107 million peripheral distributor road will provide a 4.8km link to the M4 at junction 38 into Port Talbot and the docks. Once completed it is hoped the road will help with traffic problems on the M4 and will be an attractive gateway to the town, as well as open up new development opportunities.

Power station work to begin in Port Talbot

The construction of a multi-million pound gas-fired power station in Baglan Energy Park, Port Talbot will begin this year. Scottish and Southern Energy have said it will be smaller than originally intended, reducing it from a double-unit power station to a single unit, with the capacity reduced to 450MW from 870MW.

Beacon Centre for Health, SA1

Start on Swansea's new health centre for 3,000 patients a day

Work has started on the new flagship £7.25 million Beacon Centre for Health in Swansea‘s SA1. The primary care centre, due to open in 2013, will provide a spacious and modern environment and will be the largest primary care facility in the city.

Demolition of fire-hit Afan Lido in Aberavon begins

Demolition has begun of the Afan Lido in Aberavon, a seafront leisure complex which was destroyed by fire in 2009. A new 25m swimming pool, a four court indoor sports hall, dance studio and community centre replacement is set for completion in 2013 at a cost of £13.6m. Sandfields library and lifelong learning centre will also move to the site once it is completed. See also: Date set for Afan Lido demolition, Neath Port Talbot £13.6 Million multi purpose leisure facility plans & Euro funding to help transform Aberavon seafront garden

Futuristic £7.5m plan for Port Talbot Parkway station

Plans for a £7.5m futuristic revamp of Port Talbot Parkway train station are set to go before the Welsh government. Neath Port Talbot council, Arriva Trains Wales and Network Rail will submit a joint bid for European funding in December through the government's station improvement programme and it is hoped work, which would take 18 months, will start next autumn.

Blaze-hit Neath hall on way to relaunch

The curtain will finally rise on Neath's new-look Gwyn Hall early next year. Work to redevelop the fire-ravaged building has hit another important stage with the removal of the outside scaffolding. Contractors are now working on the stylish new entrance foyer as well as continuing with major structural features inside. See also: New £7m centre is rising from ashes of Neath's Gwyn Hall

Glynn Vivian Art Gallery refurbishment begins

The refurbished Glynn Vivian Art Gallery will include a new lecture & community room plus more space for exhibits and is expected to take two years to complete. The £6 million project, which is being funded by the Welsh Government, the Arts Council of Wales and Swansea Council, will also include a dedicated reading and resource centre devoted to visitor research, Wi-Fi access and improved facilities for working with schools and colleges.

Second phase of £102m Morriston Hospital upgrade to start

The completed first phase provides a multi-storey car park, a surface car park, a new helipad, new roads and walkways. The next phase will see new accommodation for the artificial limb and appliance centre, orthotics, medical electronics and rehabilitation engineering. The spring will see work start on projects such as a new outpatients department, fracture clinic and a new main entrance with shops. See also: £60m Assembly boost to help hospital revamp

High Street Urban Village courtesy of icreate

Urban Village progress

Over past weeks, scaffolding has been taken down in phases to reveal the new scheme by Coastal Housing. The project has also been funded by the Welsh Government. See also: Topping out at Urban Village scheme, Plans for Urban Village and Building schedule for Swansea Creative Hub

Llanelli bus station opens as part of £60m town revamp

A new bus station which forms part of a £60m redevelopment of Llanelli town centre has opened. It is part of the Eastern Gateway scheme that will also see a hotel, cinema, pubs and restaurants, offices, shops, and a new civic square.