Latest news with #HacerDevelopments
Business News Wales
29-04-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
City Centre Transformation Continues as ‘Living Building' Scheme Nears Completion
Construction of a major new 'living building' scheme in Swansea city centre is due for completion by the end of this summer. Located between Oxford Street and The Kingsway, the scheme is being led by Hacer Developments. The development will include features such as: An urban-style greenhouse set over four floors An education facility featuring an aquaponic system Rooftop gardens, wildflower boarders and green spaces Nine floors of apartments to be managed by Pobl Close to 32,000 square feet of commercial floor space for businesses Retail A landscaped courtyard A bio-solar roof with ambient loop heating and sustainable drainage systems The development, once complete, will accommodate up to 500 people, thanks to the jobs and homes it will create. It will be powered by solar energy and an air source heat system. The scheme is one example of a regeneration programme worth more than £1 billion which is designed to transform Swansea city centre. Other examples include the nearby office scheme at 71/72 Kingsway developed by Swansea Council and part-funded by the Swansea Bay City Deal. Shot by Calan Films on behalf of the Welsh Government, this video shows the progress being made on site at the former Woolworths building and a new adjoining 13-storey tower: Carwyn Davies, Managing Director of Hacer Developments, said: 'These are unprecedented times for Swansea city centre with so much funding being invested by the council, the Welsh Government and the private sector. 'This is important because city centres now need more people living and working there to create the numbers needed to support city centre businesses and encourage more shops and other businesses to open up in future. 'Our scheme is aimed at creating a new way of urban working and living – one that connects residents and workers to nature. This has been proven to benefit health and happiness. 'The building will also be powered in a renewable way that will help cut Swansea's carbon footprint and fight climate change.' Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council Leader, said: 'Swansea's £1 billion transformation is continuing at pace to create more jobs for local people, support local businesses and raise Swansea's profile across the UK and beyond for investment. 'Swansea Arena has been completed, the Palace Theatre building has reopened, the Albert Hall has been transformed, and the 71/72 Kingsway office development will soon be open with a number of tenants confirmed and advanced discussions with many other tenants ongoing. 'It's fantastic news that the groundbreaking, innovative 'living building' scheme led by Hacer Developments will be following suit by the end of the summer. 'Our new 'Y Storfa' community services hub at the former BHS unit on Oxford Street is due for completion by the end of the year too, and work will soon start to transform Castle Square into a greener destination at the heart of the city centre.' The 'living building' is being funded by a mixture of private sector funding and funding from the Welsh Government's Innovative Housing Programme, Pobl and the Development Bank of Wales.
Wales Online
29-04-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Stunning view from top of Swansea's newest skyscraper taking shape in city
Stunning view from top of Swansea's newest skyscraper taking shape in city Set for completion this summer, the new building will not only change the city's skyline but also house 50 flats, retail spaces and more Newly released footage from Swansea Council shows how the city's newest skyscraper is taking shape in the heart of Swansea — and it looks impressive. The council has said the construction of this new 'living building' is set to be complete by the end of summer this year. Powered by solar energy and a 'air source heat system' the building is touted to consume five times less energy than a building which is powered by gas boilers. To be built at the former Woolworths site in Swansea, the construction work for this new 'Biophilic' building in the city appears to already be well underway in newly released visuals. Set next to a new 13-storey tower, the new building will be located between Oxford Street and The Kingsway and the scheme is being led by Swansea-based Hacer Developments. The new building is set to be 12 storeys high (Image: Hacer Developments ) This 'living building' scheme is being funded by a combination of private sector funding, money from the Welsh Government's Innovative Housing Programme, Pobl and the Development Bank of Wales. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here At the start of this year, we took a look inside the 12-storey tower as it was being built. To read more about that, click here. Article continues below The company behind the scheme describes Biophilia as 'our affinity, as human beings, to the natural world.' It said: 'The Biophilic Living project incorporates this into the building's design and development, allowing the community to reconnect with nature, in an urban environment.' The Biophilic building is the first to be built under the project and is set to include an urban-style greenhouse set over four floors, an education facility featuring an aquaponic system, rooftop gardens, wildflower borders and green spaces, nine floors of apartments to be managed by Pobl, close to 32,000 square feet of commercial floor space for businesses, retail spaces, a landscaped courtyard, and a bio-solar roof with ambient loop heating and sustainable drainage systems Once complete, the council claims the building will have the capacity to accommodate up to 500 people and create jobs and homes. A video released by the council shows work underway on the building as it is nestled within Swansea's city centre, overlooking much of the area around it. It will feature an "urban greenhouse" (Image: Hacer Developments ) You can also see a series of solar panels on its roof along with the 'air source heat system' that will power the building once it's complete. It also offers stunning views over the city and Swansea bay that occupants of some of its 50 'modern flats' will enjoy, once people start moving into the building. The company behind the project has said that the new building will connect 'residents and workers to nature.' Carwyn Davies, managing director of Hacer Developments, said: 'These are unprecedented times for Swansea city centre with so much funding being invested by the council, the Welsh Government and the private sector. 'This is important because city centres now need more people living and working there to create the numbers needed to support city centre businesses and encourage more shops and other businesses to open up in future.' Swansea-based Hacer Developments is leading the delivery of the scheme (Image: Hacer Developments ) He added: 'Our scheme is aimed at creating a new way of urban working and living - one that connects residents and workers to nature. This has been proven to benefit health and happiness. 'The building will also be powered in a renewable way that will help cut Swansea's carbon footprint and fight climate change.' The scheme is part of a £1bn regeneration scheme that has seen several buildings across the Swansea city centre being transformed. In September 2024, the historic Albert Hall was unveiled after a major revamp costing nearly £9m boasting a food hall and bar, with private entertainment space, offices, studios, visitor accommodation, a gym and a rooftop garden above. A month later, in November, 2024, Swansea's iconic Palace Theatre was revamped at the cost of nearly 10m and turned into a business hub with a cafe. The construction is set to be completed this summer (Image: Hacer Developments ) Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council leader, said: 'Swansea's £1bn transformation is continuing at pace to create more jobs for local people, support local businesses and raise Swansea's profile across the UK and beyond for investment. 'Swansea Arena has been completed, the Palace Theatre building has re-opened, the Albert Hall has been transformed, and the 71/72 Kingsway office development will soon be open with a number of tenants confirmed and advanced discussions with many other tenants ongoing.' He added: 'It's fantastic news that the groundbreaking, innovative 'living building' scheme led by Hacer Developments will be following suit by the end of the summer. Article continues below 'Our new 'Y Storfa' community services hub at the former BHS unit on Oxford Street is due for completion by the end of the year too, and work will soon start to transform Castle Square into a greener destination at the heart of the city centre.'
