Capital Quarter

I see that the article claims that Capital Quarter No. 3 will be built and fitted out by the end of 2017. Good news!

Capital Quarter 2 - not far off completion now...

Some trees have appeared near this and Number 1 this morning, makes it looks much better. Also the north site of the student housing is motoring, up to the 4th floor now, around half way in height I think?

They are taking their time starting on number 3 aren't they!

I see the odd digger doing something on that plot but very little in terms of an actual start. Saying that they are stil doing all the external stuff on number 2; paving and today some soil for landscaping of some sort I guess. The car park also isn't quite finished so I guess they might be waiting on one or both of those structures to be 100% complete before starting on number 3.

I did notice two blokes with plans in their hands looking at the Herbert bridge plot lunchtime though, maybe we are due some news on those apartments? It's been an age since they had planning permission.

The odd sign up on the hoarding at the number 3 plot now, together with a digger presumably clearing the site a bit as they were using it as a dumping ground. Number 2 looks close to opening with some plants and trees gone up at the front of the building.

The interesting thing I noticed today was two drilling machines, one was on land in front of the almost complete multi-storey and the other was at the Herbert street site. Soil sampling ? I noticed a couple of men with plans looking at both sites the other day as well so it wouldn't surprise me if we get some news soon for both plots.

Lots of movement at the Herbert Street apartments site, along with the aforementioned drilling machine. Should be starting soon!

Lots of movement at the Herbert Street apartments site, along with the aforementioned drilling machine. Should be starting soon!

I saw the activity on site, looks like they're doing some ground investigation. Given that they've already got planning, I'm surprised that wasn't done a lot sooner. Usually the Geo-Environmental survey forms part of the planning documentation.

There's some being done on the other side of the feeder canal as well, as if there are alternative plans on the go for the apartments plot as well as something in front of the new car park.

And you say, this sort of thing usually happens as part of planning permission. Seeing as we haven't heard anything in the news about this plot I'm beginning to wonder if there's something else now planned.

The other reason I wonder that is they've recently updated the J R Smart and Capital Quarter websites and between both sites they have a placeholder for the John Street project, they also mention the number 3 building and have number 4 (coming soon). So why not have a project that's got planning permission on your website of it's due to start?

I may be barking up the wrong tree on this but it seems odd to me.

I just looked at the photos again and it looks as if the drilling is on the Callaghan Square - John St site. This is different from the Herbert St site (Capital Quarter) that has planning permission.

I wonder if there's more demand for office space than residential, so they're building that first. Either that or they think they'll get a higher return on the residential plots once the office space is established.

The student accomodation is a different kettle of fish as there's a severe shortage in Cardiff and the political will to see these sites builts.

I walk by the site every day as I'm now working nearby.

The drilling is on the Herbert Street site 100% and has been there a few days, and I definitely saw some on the plot in front of the car park at Capital Quarter as well, although I can't remember if that one in front of the car park is still there today.

I'll check again tomorrow. I might be cheeky and ask some questions if I can.

The number 3 site is busier now with more than one digger active as well.