Cardiff bonanza starts

Millions of pounds worth of construction work is due to start in Cardiff Bay this year, in the form of a œ200 million manufacturing plant and a œ50 million retail/leisure complex.

The œ200 million plant will manufacture component parts for televisions and will be built at Cardiff Bay Development Corporation's Ocean Park.

Nippon Electric Glass of Japan and Schott Glaswerke of Germany are forming a joint venture to produce cathode ray tube glass for the television industry.

The main contractor for the œ30 million first phase is expected to be appointed around the beginning of September.

A preliminary site work contract will be started by Davies Middleton Davies next Monday. The rest of the project will be built up over the next five years, reaching a full capital investment of œ200 million.

The factory represents a major coup for Cardiff . The Welsh Office, Welsh Development Agency, Cardiff Bay Development Corporation and South Glamorgan TEC all combined to fight off fierce competition from sites elsewhere in Europe.

In addition to the TV plant, CBDC has plans for a œ50 million retail and leisure park complex at Ferry Road, on the western side of the Bay. The 27,600m2 retail park will feature a food superstore, retail units and commercial leisure facilities. Wilson Bowden Properties of Leicester is the preferred developer for the project. Construction work is expected to start in the autumn with the first stores opening at the end of 1995. Facilities planned include a multiplex cinema, 10 pin bowling, restaurants, pub and sports club.

The Ferry Road retail park will eventually form part of a larger leisure development with landscaped parkland and a possible new home for Glamorgan Cricket Club. An urban village of 1,000 new homes, a business village and a waterfront hotel are also planned for the Ferry Road area.