A Swansea business leader has praised the ongoing £1bn regeneration of the city centre.
James Smale-Davies, an associate director at RJ Chartered Surveyors, says continuous investment shows Swansea is a city that’s serious about growing its economy.
Developed by Swansea Council, regeneration schemes which are either complete, ongoing or planned include Swansea Arena, the 71/72 Kingsway development and the new office building set for construction at the former St David’s Shopping Centre site.
Led by the private sector, other city centre schemes include the Princess Quarter office project developed by Kartay Investments and the biophilic building project being developed by Hacer Developments.
Other examples include the Kings Building scheme on Kingsway Circle and the Market Lofts development on Oxford Street which have been led by St Mary’s Square Developments.
Beacon Cymru is leading on plans to bring the former Castle Cinema building back into use, following on from the reopening of the Palace Theatre building and the Albert Hall.
Led by Swansea Council, a major project to transform the city centre’s former BHS building into a community services hub is due for completion by the end of the year.
Mr Smale-Davies said: “It’s exciting to see such sustained commitment to building a city centre that’s fit for the future.
“This is a strong signal that Swansea is serious about growth, resilience, and making its city core a place where people genuinely want to work, live and invest.”
Construction of the new office scheme planned for the former St David’s Shopping Centre site is due to start in early 2026.
The five-storey building will be part of a larger mixed-use development at the site led by Swansea Council in partnership with Urban Splash.
Mr Smale-Davies said: “It’s great to see this new office development now edging closer to delivery because it’s set to play a significant role in reinvigorating city centre footfall and supporting local businesses.
“From a property and placemaking perspective, this scheme ticks important boxes. It responds to a clear shortage of premium office space in Swansea, while encouraging mixed-use vibrancy with food and beverage on the ground floor. It also supports public and private sector co-location, and acts as a catalyst for wider city centre regeneration.”
Swansea Council would take up a floor at the new office development, with the remaining office space set to be split between other public sector bodies and private sector businesses.
The council and its regeneration partners Urban Splash are developing the new building, with the council retaining ownership.
Set for completion in 2027, the scheme will help free-up the city’s seafront Civic Centre site for redevelopment.
Urban Splash are also developing proposals for the Civic Centre site that will be announced as soon as details are available.
