Cardiff Bay: Seven year 'masterplan' for Atlantic Wharf unveiled

A new masterplan to redevelop parts of Cardiff Bay has been unveiled by city planners, covering a 30 acre site.

The proposals for Atlantic Wharf would see Cardiff council push ahead with plans for a new £150m indoor arena in the first phase.

It would also see up to 1,150 new homes built, as well as office spaces, leisure facilities and a hotel complex.

If approved, city leaders said it would take seven years to complete over four different stages.

The 15,000 arena proposal would be the anchor project for the development, which stretches from the Millennium Centre, down Lloyd George Avenue in Butetown, and across to Cardiff's current County Hall.

As part of the plans, the current Red Dragon Centre would be replaced with a new centre, and a multi-storey car park built next to the centre's current facility.

The development would then pave the way for a 150-bed hotel, and 150,000 sq m of office space.

"The redevelopment of Cardiff Bay three decades ago helped establish Cardiff as a dynamic European Capital, and today we set out an exciting vision for the next stage in that redevelopment," said Cardiff council leader Huw Thomas.

"This masterplan sets out a range of projects which we believe can deliver jobs, training and prosperity to a local community that is still one of the most deprived in Wales."

Mr Thomas said the council had listened to criticism of redevelopment in the area in the past, and claims it had isolated and excluded the local community in Butetown.

"I'm determined that that must not happen again. We don't just want to re-energise the area we want to re-energise the local community," he said.

The council said the plans would be "totally carbon neutral", and tie in with railway improvements as part of the Welsh Government's planned Metro network project.

The council cabinet will be asked to approve the draft plans at a meeting on 17 December, followed by a public consultation and outline planning applications.