Future Student Accomodation Schemes in Cardiff

There are a few people on this site who perhaps sneer at each student accommodation scheme proposed and approved for Cardiff. Admittedly, I’m not a fan of some of those recently built. Tŷ Pont Haearn is utterly ghastly and I'm only too glad that Wigley Fox Partnership went bust! Generally these schemes are done on the cheap and lack quality. But the reality is, Cardiff is well short of suitable student accommodation for a city with 5 universities and this was reflected in an interesting table in Watkin Jones’ planning application documents which shows why (see attached and found in the linke below).
http://planning.cardiff.gov.uk/online-a ... APR_114409

Even when you add the 590 new dwellings from the 3 recently approved schemes (Fitzalan Court in Adamsdown, the York Hotel and Custom House and a smaller conversion built up and behind the shops on Crwys Road), the city is still well short.

But I think one of the most telling signs, was what Chair of the Planning Committe (Coun Michael Michael) said:

“This allows us to bring more family ownership into areas like Cathays, Roath and Plasnewydd, which is very important.”
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... t-10576200
Personally, I think that bringing family life back into these areas, seeing an end to the annual mess left on our streets following the end-of-year clear-out would be a good thing. Not only that, I'd like the historic character of those buildings to be retained, rather than knocked about and turned into bed-sits by landlords who don't maintain the buildings properly.

Be prepared to see a few more, not to mention this second tower scheme which will also be put forward:
http://planning.cardiff.gov.uk/online-a ... APR_113927

Oh, and thank what Gods there may be that this monstrosity has been withdrawn!
http://planning.cardiff.gov.uk/online-a ... APR_114019

I think the glut of recent applications is Cardiff catching up in terms of student accommodation.

Of the top my head recently completed student accommodation can be found at Summit House (Windsor Place), Shand House (Newport Rd), a new block at Talybont, Student Castle on Adam Street.

Under construction - Windsor House (Windsor Place), the scheme at Capital Quarter, Park Place, Crwys Rd, Oxford Lane (behind City Road), former Glan Hafren on City Road.

Planning permission granted but yet to commence - Howard Gardens, Caradog House (St Andrews Place), St Andrews Lane, City Rd (next to former Glan Hafren), City Rd (next to PC's), Fitzalan House (Newport Rd) plus quite a few smaller schemes in and around Cathays.

Plus of course there are the two Watkin Jones proposals and potentially a tower at Central Square. I'm sure I've missed quite a few.

I don't object to student accommodation per se. But the quality is rarely decent. The yields must be great, which makes it all the more galling that some developers value engineer schemes to such an extent.

As for housing in Cathays being converted back to family use I think this may be a long time in coming. Landlords with HMO's will look to maximise rent. That probably means bedsits. In any event I think Cathays will stay popular with students because of it's proximity to the city centre and universities. I think the new student accommodation will have an effect on places like Roath, Penylan and Gabalfa which are much more mixed anyway.

In Roath particularly the glut of student accommodation should ensure that the City/Crwys/Albany Rd area stays vibrant whilst freeing up housing suitable for families.

See if the table comes up properly this time...