Plans for a new city centre square in Cardiff have been revealed.
The square will be located on the site of the former Debenhams store which closed in 2021. The site was acquired by St David’s Cardiff owner Landsec – one of the largest real estate companies in Europe – in December 2023.
The concept for the new square has been developed by Landsec following a series of public engagement events earlier this year, and Landsec has now revealed what the new city square could look like.
The current proposal shows the square with green spaces in addition to new seating, a play park, cycle storage, water jets, and a multipurpose stage area. With space for seasonal events such as markets, street food, and an ice rink, the ambition is for the square to provide an open, safe space for children to play alongside being a vibrant cultural place for locals to enjoy.
Following an initial community consultation which engaged more than 3,000 people, Landsec is calling for the community to be involved in shaping the future of the square and what it could provide for local families as well as how it could bring more community engagement to the city centre.
A weekend of community events will be held at St David’s Cardiff on Saturday 8th June and Sunday 9th June for people to provide further feedback on plans for the new public space.
Landsec is inviting community groups and local people from all walks of life to participate in the weekend of in-person community events to input into the scheme, ensuring it is accessible and inviting for all, and to develop a sense of pride and celebration over the space.
Helen Morgan, Centre Director of St David’s Cardiff, said:
“It’s fantastic to see the feedback from the first phase of public consultation come to life in the proposals for the new city square. As a space for the community, we need people to shape it with us to ensure it meets their needs and creates value for Cardiff long into the future.”
The next step will see the former Debenhams store demolished to make way for the new city square with a final planning application due to be submitted in late summer 2024. Demolition work is due to begin in the coming weeks, with the main phase completing in spring 2025. Further phases of demolition and commencement of the square is due to start in September 2025, opening for the public in summer 2026.
- The community events at St David’s Cardiff will be held from 10am – 4pm on Saturday 8th June and from 10.30am – 4pm on Sunday 9th June. There will be drop-in stands with exhibitions of plans as well as interactive workshops. For more information about the event including what’s on, visit https://stdavidscardiff.commonplace.is/
- For anyone that cannot attend, there is an online survey to capture feedback. Click here for English, and here for Welsh.
For full details about the development, visit Landsec’s commonplace website (https://stdavidscardiff.commonplace.is/) which will feature event information, updates on the project, and the early plans.
