Swansea office building could be transformed into social housing

For well over a decade, 7-13 The Kingsway was known as Ty Gwalia and was home to one of Wales’ largest housing associations. Now there are plans to redevelop it into apartments for social rent by Coastal Housing, which has acquired the building.

Located opposite the Potter’s Wheel pub and next door to the Coppergate student apartment block, 7-13 The Kingsway has stood empty since the housing office closed in 2019, when staff were relocated to Swansea Enterprise Park.

The building has previously served as the House of Kent department store and Evan Rees Butter during its long history and was facing demolition until Coastal stepped in at the eleventh hour to save it from demolition.

“There’s a welcome evolution in our proposals to redevelop 7-13 The Kingsway into social housing” says Coastal’s Executive Director of Operations, Serena Jones, worked in the building as part of Gwalia’s senior management team from 2008 to 2015”. “It will move from being a place where affordable housing was planned and applied for, to being affordable housing itself. I’m pleased that legacy will transform into new social rent homes for the local community.”

Coastal is continuing to bring new homes to meet local needs in Swansea through an ambitious, revised development programme that includes locations in Swansea High Street, Castle Square, Swansea Waterfront, Sandfields, Sketty, Morriston and Gorseinon. The programme reflects a renewed focus on city centre, fringe of city centre, and town centre locations where demand for housing is high and private rents can be unaffordable for many local people.