RCT Council’s Llys Cadwyn development, which was delivered by Willmott Dixon, has been shortlisted in the Commercial Property Project of the Year category in the construction sector’s most prestigious awards.
The awards submission was led by Hydrock, lead consultant for Llys Cadwyn, and has resulted in the Pontypridd town centre project being shortlisted in the British Construction Industry Awards, run by the Institute of Civil Engineers and New Civil Engineer. The 2021 Awards will take place on October 13, recognising and rewarding excellence in projects – relating to both their delivery and the positive outcomes that they bring for communities.
Llys Cadwyn has transformed the strategic former Taff Vale site in the heart of Pontypridd, which lay derelict for many years. After failed attempts to revitalise the area from the private sector, the Council acquired the site in 2015 and committed to deliver an office-led, mixed-use development for the town.
Working with the wider project team, including Hydrock, the Council’s contractor Willmott Dixon started its first works on site in early 2018, to transform the area into three unique buildings and a river walkway.
Number 1 Llys Cadwyn (near Bridge Street) includes a 21st Century library, customer contact point and state-of-the-art fitness centre, while 2 Llys Cadwyn (centre building) contains Grade A office floorspace and a food/drink unit. Number 3 Llys Cadwyn is the new home of South Wales Metro operator Transport for Wales, while Bradleys Coffee shop occupies one of the two food/drink units – soon to be joined by Gatto Lounge on August 25.
During Willmott Dixon’s involvement in the scheme, it carried out almost 4,000 weeks of training, interacted with more than 4,200 local students, and engaged young people through its mentoring and recruitment programme.
The company sourced 21.97% of labour for the project within 10 miles and 56% within 20 miles, while 60% of the materials used were certified as responsibly-sourced. It also exceeded Welsh Government’s key performance indicator (10%) for recycled content in materials, by achieving 17.34%.
Llys Cadwyn has an ‘Excellent’ rating under the recognised BREEAM regulation ratings for environmentally-friendly buildings – and also has several innovative sustainable features. These include photovoltaics set on the buildings’ roofs to offset the overall electricity use – along with a rainwater tank in the basement which catches and recycles surface water to flush the 120 toilets across the three buildings, rather than using clean water.
The £38m development was delivered by the Council thanks to a significant £10m investment from the European Regional Development Fund, through Welsh Government’s Building for the Future Programme.
Councillor Robert Bevan, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Enterprise, Development and Housing, said: “I’m very pleased that Llys Cadwyn has been shortlisted in the prestigious British Construction Industry Awards, for its success in bringing new life to the derelict 1960s shopping centre site, which is such an important area for the town. Our work with Willmott Dixon and the wider project team as delivered something we can all be proud of.
“The Council’s vision for Llys Cadwyn was to deliver something more than the three buildings themselves. The development now represents a modern gateway into Pontypridd and a landmark for the town – bringing jobs, footfall and amenities to this central location. This idea of legacy was something that Willmott Dixon also shared, through its invaluable work with local groups and schools, and the delivery of training and jobs during the construction process.
“Llys Cadwyn is at the heart of the regeneration of Pontypridd, alongside projects to revitalise the YMCA building, the Muni Arts Centre and the former Bingo Hall site which is currently being demolished. I wish Willmott Dixon the best of luck in the Commercial Property Project of the Year awards category, as the achievement of delivering Llys Cadwyn is rightly celebrated.”
Graham Munday, Marketing Director at Hydrock, which led on the awards submission to the British Construction Industry Awards (BCIA), added: ‘‘We’re thrilled to be shortlisted at BCIA 2021 alongside some other outstanding nominations which is great recognition for Hydrock and all the partners involved. From our perspective, what’s most pleasing to see is that each of our shortlisted projects are completely community-driven and all perfectly align with our corporate purpose to be an all-round force for good.”
