Cardiff’s landmark housing development complete after 10 years

Work has completed on the final phase of The Mill development, with the last 157 homes of the 800-home initiative now finished.

The £150m development, which has spanned over 10 years since the first phase began in 2014, has been funded by Principality Commercial, the commercial lending arm of Wales’ largest building society, and delivered in partnership with Welsh Government, Tirion Homes, Lovell and Cadwyn Housing Association.

Formerly the Arjo Wiggins paper mill site, half of the 800 homes were built specifically for affordable rent through Tirion Homes, including 75 made available as social housing. A total of 358 properties were sold on the open market by Lovell.

Completed in the last month, the final portfolio of 157 affordable homes comprises of a mixture of apartments and houses, managed by Cadwyn Housing Association, all of which have already been rented out to new tenants.

The landmark project has transformed what was a derelict site into a sustainable new community for Cardiff.

Richard Wales, Commercial Lending Director of Principality Building Society said: “With the successful completion of the final phase of The Mill development, we are hugely excited to see the transformation of the formerly abandoned paper mill site into a vibrant and sustainable community for Cardiff.

“This milestone represents our commitment to making life’s hopes and aspirations possible in a way that works for all. By helping people into their own property, funding sustainable and affordable housing, and supporting the creation of homes that meet the needs of future generations, we are contributing to a brighter future for local communities.”

In addition to the new homes created, infrastructure work undertaken includes new roads, a viaduct and improvements to flood defences in the area.  A total of five commercial units are also available to rent, which will be managed by Tirion Homes, who are in discussions with interested parties.

The site has also developed a riverside park which includes green spaces, children’s play area and cycle paths. Further plans are also underway to build on this and provide additional facilities as part of the hub which include a neighbourhood centre, and bus routes with links to the city centre.

The Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning, Jayne Bryant, said: “I am pleased that through our loan investment we’ve been able to provide £8m worth of funding support towards the Mill development.

“We know that good quality housing is in high demand in the area and it’s fantastic that through our partnerships we’ve been able to give the site a new lease of life and deliver for the community.”

David Ward, CEO of Tirion Homes, said: “We are thrilled to celebrate the completion of the final phase of The Mill development. This project is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and partners over the last 12 years who have successfully navigated many challenges along the way, most notably through the Covid-19 pandemic. The Mill is now a vibrant, sustainable space which allows households to thrive, as well as being a part of the ongoing regeneration that is happening across Cardiff.

“The high demand for these quality homes underscores the importance of our mission to provide affordable housing. As an organisation, we are all about providing greater choice to those unable to, or those not seeking, to purchase their own home. This would not be possible without the unwavering support of Principality Building Society, Welsh Government, Cadwyn, and Lovell. We are proud to have reached this significant achievement and look forward to continuing our efforts to build more sustainable communities in Wales.”

James Duffett, Regional Managing Director of Lovell, said: “The Mill is our flagship development in Cardiff, combining the very best of our partnerships and sales expertise. We have built each home with care and attention to detail, keeping the future residents in mind every step of the way, and we are now immensely proud to have completed the final phase and provided 800 high-quality homes.

“This successful partnership between ourselves, Tirion, Cadwyn, Principality Building Society and Welsh Government has transformed the former paper mill site into a thriving community, with homes that people can be proud to own for generations to come.”