Cardiff Bay Development Corporation

Summary

The Cardiff Bay Development Corporation was set up by the United Kingdom Government on 3 April 1987[1] to redevelop one sixth of the area of Cardiff to create Cardiff Bay.

Cardiff Bay Development Corporation
Formation1987
Dissolved2000
HeadquartersCardiff
Official language
English and Welsh
Chair
Sir Geoffrey Inkin
Key people
Barry Lane
Michael Boyce
Corporation's headquarters in Cardiff

Objectives edit

The Secretary of State for Wales, Nicholas Edwards set out the CBDC's mission statement as:

To put Cardiff on the international map as a superlative maritime city which will stand comparison with any such city in the world, thereby enhancing the image and economic well-being of Cardiff and Wales as a whole.[2]

The five main aims and objectives were:[3]

  • To promote development and provide a superb environment in which people will want to live, work and play.
  • To re-unite the City of Cardiff with its waterfront.
  • To bring forward a mix of development which would create a wide range of job opportunities and would reflect the hopes and aspirations of the communities of the area.
  • To achieve the highest standard of design and quality in all types of development and investment.
  • To establish the area as a recognized centre of excellence and innovation in the field of urban regeneration.

The CBDC was chiefly responsible for building the Cardiff Bay Barrage, the new shopping and housing developments across the old docks in the 1990s and the Roald Dahl Plass development.

Achievements edit

During the CBDC's lifetime 14,000,000 square feet (1,300,000 m2) of non-housing development and 5,780 housing units were built. Around 31,000 new jobs were created and some £1.8 billion of private finance was invested. About 200 acres (81 ha) of derelict land was reclaimed.[4]

The Chairman was Sir Geoffrey Inkin.[5] The first Chief Executive was Barry Lane,[6] who was later succeeded by Michael Boyce.[5]

The CBDC was dissolved on 31 March 2000. The Cardiff Harbour Authority took over the CBDC's management of the barrage, the Inland Bay and the Rivers Taff and Ely on 1 April 2000.

An evaluation of the regeneration of Cardiff Bay published in 2004 concluded that the project had "reinforced the competitive position of Cardiff" and "contributed to a massive improvement in the quality of the built environment". However, the regeneration project had been less successful in generating employment. The evaluation concluded that "the overall outcome, while representing a major achievement and massive step forward, falls short of the original vision."[7]

References edit

  1. ^ "The Cardiff Bay Development Corporation (Area and Constitution) Order 1987". Legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. 1987.
  2. ^ Michael Boyce (September 1988). "Select Committee on Welsh Affairs Minutes of Evidence - Memorandum by the Cardiff Bay Development Corporation". Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  3. ^ "Cardiff Bay: What has 30 years of development achieved?". BBC. 13 August 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2018.
  4. ^ Auditor General for Wales (19 June 2001). "Securing the Future of Cardiff Bay" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-28.
  5. ^ a b "Cardiff Bay Development Corporation". The Official Documents Website. The Stationery Office. 18 December 1998.
  6. ^ Darwent, Charles (1 April 1991). "UK: The taming of Tiger Bay. (1 of 2)". Management Today.
  7. ^ Esys Consulting Ltd (December 2004). Evaluation of Regeneration in Cardiff Bay. A report for the Welsh Assembly Government.

Further reading edit

  • Continuing the Regeneration of Cardiff Bay. Cardiff: Wales Audit Office. May 2002. Archived from the original on 2012-03-30. Retrieved 2011-09-27.

External links edit

  • Cardiff Harbour Authority