The next developer to build at Plasdŵr, the £2billion garden city located in north west Cardiff, has been announced as Lewis Homes.
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The family-owned business based in South Wales has signed contracts with agent Cooke & Arkwright, working on behalf of landowner Plymouth Estate, to acquire a 3-acre site to the north of Llantrisant Road.
Lewis Homes will join lead developer Redrow and Bellway in building at Cardiff’s new ‘garden city for the 21st Century’.
The development will comprise 56 new homes. Plans include a mix of apartments and houses ranging from one to four bedrooms, with 15% being affordable homes on varied tenures. Lewis Homes is expected to start work in the autumn, once detailed planning consent has been secured.
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This will be the fifth development at Plasdŵr, forming part of the first phase which is currently under construction to the north and south of Llantrisant Road. This first phase includes 630 new homes, as well as infrastructure improvements and a new 480-place primary school.
Mark Lewis, director of Lewis Homes, said: “A family-run business for over 40 years, we are delighted to have secured a site at Plasdŵr and play a role in the formation of a new and vibrant community. With a track record for delivering high quality residential schemes across south Wales, we are very much looking forward to bringing the proposals to life to the benefit of the future success of Cardiff.”
Plasdŵr’s founding families have already started putting down roots. Over 100 homes are now occupied across Redrow’s Parc Plymouth and Cae St Fagans developments, and the lead developer has also recently launched a new development, Cwrt Sant Ioan. Bellway is due to start work on a further 120 homes at Rhiwlas later this year.
Plasdŵr is identified in Cardiff’s Local Development Plan as key to the city’s economic growth. Up to 7,000 homes will be built over the next 20 years at the site bordering Radyr, Fairwater, Pentrebane and St Fagans. Plasdŵr will be made up of five distinct areas of individual character, with a district centre comprising of shops, offices, health and leisure centres, pubs and restaurants, plus four, smaller local centres. Four new primary schools and a secondary school are also planned for the development. Transport within Plasdŵr has been planned with walking and cycling as the easiest ways to get around, followed by using the bus.
Described as a garden city for the 21st Century, Plasdŵr has been modelled on the original garden city movement’s principles of “fresh air, sunlight, breathing and playing room”. The development has been planned to fit with the natural topography of the area and up to 40% will be green space, including managed heritage woodland, parks and play areas.
Michael Lawley, chairman of Cooke and Arkwright, said: “Welcoming Lewis Homes is the next step in an exciting year for Plasdŵr. After years of planning, the vision to create a sustainable garden city for the 21st Century is coming to life and the Plasdŵr community is beginning to take shape. Lewis Homes will be the third developer to build at Plasdŵr, and we’re especially pleased to have a Welsh housebuilder on board helping to deliver the diverse range of homes Cardiff needs as it continues to grow.”
Savills acted for Lewis Homes in its acquisition. Scott Caldwell, a director in the development team at Savills Cardiff, said:
“Cardiff is on the verge of a sustained period of growth however it is grappling with a significant shortfall in housing. Only 490 homes on average a year have been delivered, which is well short of the Local Plan annual target of 2,071 and lags behind other regional cities. Strategic schemes, such as Plasdwr, are playing an important role in enabling city’s continued success, through the introduction of sustainable new communities that are ripe for contemporary living and we are delighted to have been able to secure this opportunity, the first development in our capital city for Lewis Homes.”
