In 1987, the Cardiff Bay Development Corporation (CBDC) was established as part of the UK's Urban Development Programme and assigned the task of regenerating 1,100 hectares around the docklands of Cardiff and its waterfront. Funded by central government, CBDC aimed to create an integrated environment of open space, commerce, housing and industrial development united by a new, permanent freshwater lake with an eight-mile waterfront and high quality public realm. By the turn of the century, Cardiff Bay had become one of the most successful regeneration projects in Europe, attracting approximately £500 million of UK public investment and £1.14 billion of private investment. Much of the private investment has been made in the Inner Bay area by developers and leisure operators such as Sir Rocco Forte, Associated British Ports, Grosvenor Waterside Plc, Sovereign Land and several major national residential developers.
By 2000, a total of 16,750 jobs had been created and 4,800 residential units constructed. Today, Cardiff Bay is a world-class destination that attracts over 2 million visits a year and is the backdrop to the BBC news programme "Wales Today".
Between 1988 and 2000, Colliers provided the destination development advice that helped to transform the disused Tiger Bay docks into one of Europe's most exciting waterfront developments. Working initially with Cardiff Bay Development Corporation and later with other stakeholders, including the National Assembly for Wales, our team advised on the concept for the destination, and its management, branding and operation.
For more information on Cardiff Bay, contact Philip Harcourt.