Anyone who is from Swansea knows there is one place in the city which never stays the same for very long - The Kingsway.
One of the main roads in the city centre, through the generations it has undergone plenty of changes in its road layout and make-up. It was once the nightclub capital of Wales and saw thousands of revellers spend unforgettable nights there. You can read more about that by clicking here.
But as we enter 2022, what is the current current state of play along the iconic city road? We've taken a look at the make-up of the Kingsway, where it is excelling, the things we can look forward to and the areas for improvement.
Read more: The history of Swansea's The Kingsway in pictures
What's coming this year
It used to be the home to one of Swansea's most famous ever nightclubs in its guises as Top Rank, Ritzy and Icon, Time and Envy and Oceana. But it has been razed to the ground, and a major new high-tech office development that will provide space for 600 jobs is currently being developed.
The scheme will feature flexible co-working and office opportunities for innovative tech, digital and creative sector businesses. It will be a five-storey, carbon-zero development with two underground levels.
The former Barclays building at 69-70 The Kingsway will also be turned into a new-style flexible workspace suitable for a range of companies. The development will see the three-storey, glass-fronted former bank renovated with new tall glass windows and a ribbed aluminium screen. There will be new doors and, inside, a complete overhaul.
Work is set to be completed by 2023.
Work now completed
Number 85 Kingsway, which is home to well-known Wetherspoons pub and restaurant The Potters Wheel, has been transformed with an inviting new look. Coastal Housing has transformed the first and second floors of the building into offices, with the pub business remaining unaffected.
Orchard House was also something of an eyesore, but after a revamp, it is now a far more attractive and modern sight for those who pass the building at the eastern end of The Kingsway.
The Pobl Group project has given new life to the building, with 52 one and two bedroom apartments on the upper levels, and new commercial premises on the ground floor, along with modern offices on the first floor.
Meanwhile Coppergate, situated along The Kingsway, comprises a 14-storey tower and two six-storey blocks, a central courtyard and some commercial space. The £22 million development is a 310-bed scheme and is run by Prime Student Living. It has a mix of studios and shared apartments, as well as communal spaces.
Swansea Council has transformed the Kingsway by creating a city park incorporating new public areas, landscaped parkland, cycle routes and two-way single lane vehicle route along with the creation of wider pedestrian walkways.
The Kingsway opened to two-way traffic again in July 2020.
The problems facing the council
There are currently eight empty units sitting vacant on the Kingsway with the city centre already struggling to attract any big name retailers.
A Swansea Council spokesman said: “The council and partners have invested hugely on The Kingsway in recent years to benefit the fantastic businesses based there and attract even more investment in future.
“We led on a £12m improvement of The Kingsway’s look and feel, which has generated a far more pleasant, green environment for businesses and visitors. This scheme has been praised by Swansea’s business community and residents.
“Led by the council, main construction work has also now started on a high-quality new office development at the former Oceana nightclub site. Once complete in the summer of 2023, this development will provide space for 600 jobs in the tech and digital sectors, while generating more spending in the city centre and boosting our city’s economy by £32.6m a year.
“Our work has also successfully generated considerable private sector investment and confidence in Kingsway and the wider city centre, including the Hacer Development ‘living building’ plan for the former Woolworths building.
“Including a ‘living wall’, Coastal Housing has transformed the first and second floors of the Potters Wheel building into offices, and developments like the Coppergate student development are bringing more footfall and vitality to the area. The empty units referred to are privately owned premises that the council has no control over, although we’re happy to assist private owners in any way we can to help bring these premises back to life.
“Swansea – like all cities and towns across the UK – is not immune to the temporary impacts of the pandemic, although our £1bn regeneration of the city has continued at pace, including Copr Bay and the arena, an improved Wind Street and plans for a greener, more welcoming Castle Square Gardens. This has helped attract a high-quality development partner for other key locations such as the Civic Centre site, and means Swansea remains an attractive location for investment. This is likely to further strengthen as even more major projects are delivered.”
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