Swansea residents and businesses have influenced a design for a redeveloped, greener Castle Square Gardens which has secured planning approval.
Public feedback from several rounds of consultation was taken into account when designers created the new look for the location that’s a focal point at the heart of the city centre.
Planning approval, sought by Swansea Council, has now been secured.
The plans will see Castle Square Gardens get:
- An increased number of trees
- An increased amount of other greenery, including new lawns, ornamental and biodiverse planting
- Two pavilion buildings for food, drink or retail businesses – one with an accessible green roof
- A new water feature for interactive play
- New giant TV screen above a bandstand-style facility
- New outdoor seating areas
There’ll be new planters, steps, seating, lighting and paving. The existing leaf boat feature will be removed to another suitable Swansea location in consultation with the original artist.
Council leader Rob Stewart said: “Planning approval is great news for Castle Square Gardens; it means that we can now make this exciting scheme reality.
“I thank all those business people and members of the public who’ve helped shape the plans; their thoughts, ideas and observations mean that we’ll create something that complements our £1bn regeneration programme across the wider city centre.
“Castle Square Gardens is a focal point within the city centre, an important civic place.
“We’ll now enhance it, raise its quality and make it more active, distinctive and vibrant in line with other investment in the city.
“It’ll be a modern, functional and well maintained public space which can accommodate a range of events, arts and cultural experiences.”
The scheme’s commercial elements – including restaurant units with outdoor seating – aim to increase the location’s vitality and encourage people to stay longer.
Castle Square Gardens will continue to host public and creative events through the year. There’ll be no net loss of useable public open space.
The neighbouring Wind Street has already been improved as a largely pedestrian area – and at the other side of Castle Square Gardens a new public services hub, with library, is planned for the former BHS and What! store.
Businesses involved in the designs include those that specialise in areas such as architecture, civil engineering, lighting, landscaping and the natural environment.
They include architects ACME, development manager Spider Projects and structural specialists Civic Engineers.
Planning consultants Savills have been working on Castle Square Gardens on behalf of the council.
In the coming weeks the council plans to issue competitive tender notices for expert businesses eager to be the scheme’s main contractor. The overhaul is likely to take place from this year over a period of around 12 months.
As part of the formal planning process for this development the public had their say on the planning application last year. The council encouraged as much public feedback as possible.
Public feedback from earlier rounds of consultation had helped develop the final plans.
Friedrich Ludewig, founding director of architects ACME, said: “We’re delighted to receive planning for the re-envisioning of Swansea’s Castle Square Gardens.
“Locals have told us just how important green space in the city centre is, and this project helps to deliver a significantly greener landscape.
“The new Castle Square Gardens will revitalise an important civic space with an interactive water feature, biodiverse planting and new routes.
“Two pavilions will be embedded into the existing landscape with green roofs above, inspired by Swansea’s history at the centre of copper production and celebrating local low-carbon materials in the use of local timber and Welsh stone.”
