Watkin Jones, a specialist in build-to-rent developments, has secured approval for a 33-story co-living tower in Cardiff. This significant project is located on Custom House Street, near Cardiff Central Station and St David’s Shopping Centre. The planning resolution is contingent upon the completion of a Section 106 agreement, with formal permissions anticipated by late summer.
Revitalizing Cardiff’s Urban Landscape
This new development aims to rejuvenate an area that has remained vacant for a considerable time. Originally, a 42-story student accommodation tower had received approval in 2016. However, shifting market dynamics and changing demand caused delays, prompting Watkin Jones to redesign the project as a co-living space.
Project Features
The new tower will consist of 400 fully-furnished co-living studios. Residents will benefit from various shared amenities aimed at fostering community living, including:
- Shared kitchens
- Dining areas
- Lounges
- Fitness facilities
- Landscaped communal areas
To enhance the connection to the public realm, the structure will feature a three-story arched brick plinth, creating a more human-scale link to the surrounding area.
Meeting Housing Demand
According to Watkin Jones, this co-living tower will address the growing need for managed rental homes among young professionals and smaller households in Cardiff’s city center. The project complements the developer’s expanding portfolio, particularly after the near completion of phase one of their Central Quay development, Tai Afon, last month.
