Cardiff Sixth Form College, Cardiff

CSFC is part of Dukes Education Group Limited which was founded in 2015 and is a family of nurseries, schools and colleges in the UK. CSFC has been the top school in the UK for A Level results for over a decade.

DWD was appointed by CSFC and Dukes Education to work with them to secure planning permission at two sites in Cardiff Bay. The two sites, once complete, will provide a new permanent home for the College. One site will provide teaching accommodation for 500 pupils and the second site will provide boarding accommodation for 400 students.

The teaching accommodation will be at a site currently occupied by the historic Grade II listed buildings, Merchant Place and Cory’s Buildings. The proposals comprise the sensitive conversion and restoration of the Grade II listed buildings, including the change of use to an educational facility, and a new eight storey building to the rear within the existing courtyard. The new development will provide educational facilities and teaching space including classrooms, science labs, amenity space, a large hall, canteen and a large auditorium space on the top floor. The proposals, with significant investment from CSFC, will reintroduce a viable use to the site which for many years has been vacant and dilapidated.

The boarding accommodation building will be located on Pierhead Street. The proposed part 18 and part 10-storey development, located on a currently undeveloped site, will provide a high quality and well-designed building that meets the needs of students, including providing social spaces for students, as well as student bedrooms.

The new College buildings will add significant footfall into the Bay area and help to support local business, as well as revitalising activity on the ground floor of these prominent buildings.

DWD led on the planning for both sites from pre-application stage through to the issuing of the planning permission. This included extensive pre-application engagement with Cardiff Council and community consultation, which included a successful public consultation event. DWD worked closely with the consultant team, particularly Expedite who provided project management, architecture and design and mechanical and engineering services to support the project. Following the positive resolution to grant planning permission for both developments at Planning Committee meetings, DWD oversaw the preparation of the legal agreement.

Design amendments for both sites were identified at the detailed design stage post planning, and once contractors were appointed. During 2024, DWD therefore engaged with the Council in pre-application discussions on amendments to both schemes, and we have subsequently prepared and submitted S.73 applications to seek approval for the design changes. Construction is now underway on both sites.