Design Commission attacks £500m Cardiff city centre plans

The Design Commission for Wales has criticised aspects of the planned £500m redevelopment of Cardiff city centre as being "unacceptable".

Under the proposals put forward earlier this year, the St David's Shopping Centre and The Hayes area will be transformed and expanded into a 70,00m2 retail-led development. The scheme, headed up by developer St David's Partnership, will also include a new central public library and housing.

An outline planning application has been submitted to Cardiff County Council.

However the Commission, which was formed this summer by the Welsh Assembly, has reported that while it found many aspects of the proposals interesting and appropriate, others were "unacceptable".

These included the "lack of a clear, well researched urban design strategy demonstrating how the proposals fit into the existing fabric and facilitate its future development".

It also criticised the domination of retail provision in the scheme, and certain vehicle and pedestrian access.

Peter Cleary of the St David's Partnership said he welcomed the Commission's report.

"Consultation and feedback is an extremely important part of what we are trying to achieve in Cardiff and this is why we invited the Design Commission for Wales to participate in the process," he said. "We intend to use the report to inform and progress the ongoing design work."