Swansea master plan

Clever thinking for a sensitive masterplan

Situated in a prominent position on the seafront in Swansea Bay, the SA1 project would involve the purchase of multiple sites by an international developer that would be brought together under a single masterplan. This required clever/in-depth thinking to formulate a masterplan approach that was both cohesive  and reflected the planning history and historical significance of Swansea at each location. This project was to provide a developer-led masterplan for mixed use facilities including student accommodation, commercial and residential space, a research and development hub for fintech incubators.

Navigating site context and complexity

Our thinking centered on understanding the site context, carrying out demand and market analysis to find the right development mix.  We also paid close attention to the impact on the delicate marine environment, and how to make it work.For each site we spent significant amounts of time identifying the site constraints due to the marine environment and standards.  We also had to balance these constraints with creating the right market viability for the developer to make the masterplan succeed. We spent a considerable amount of time thinking and researching all aspects of the scheme before developing the masterplan. Our work included analysing many options to understand massing, market viability, and demand analysis.