New homes snapshot – Swansea set to be transformed by housing and infrastructure
It is predicted that Swansea will be “unrecognisable” after its major regeneration scheme. The city’s current housing strategy, covering the 15-year period from 2010 to 2025, plans for 17,100 new homes (7,400 ‘affordable’) and a wealth of infrastructure improvements and additions over the next few years.
According to Rob Stewart, labour leader of Swansea City Council, the city is set to become “unrecognisable” by 2020 as it is to undergo a startling transformation. Costing around £3bn in total, the proposal is set to be the biggest regeneration project since World War II.
The new homes plans cover every corner of the city, from a few hundred homes in Gower to larger numbers across West, Central, East, North and Greater North West Swansea.
There are various infrastructure schemes in place with the earliest starting next year at Swansea Bay tidal lagoon. The power plant will see a £1bn improvement with it soon being able to produce enough energy to power more than 155,000 homes. In 2017, work will begin on the construction of a new retail and leisure complex in St. David’s costing around £500m. Other projects include the expansion of the University of Wales St Trinity campus where plans for the £100m project have been submitted.
The River Tawe will see numerous new property and housing developments begin over the next few years bringing with it a £4.5m relief road to help ease congestion.
In official statistics published by Swansea Council, it is estimated that Swansea has the second highest population aside from Cardiff. Of the 22 Welsh local authorities, the city represents almost 8% of Wales’ total population. By 2036, the population of Swansea is expected to be up by 0.5%, perhaps even more so with the new generation schemes.
The average price for a house on the market in Swansea last year was £124,206, a 5% decrease on house prices in 2013 and an overall 11% reduction on 2008. Prices across Swansea generally were found to be similar however they were all significantly more than properties sold in Brynhyfryd which sold for an average of £85,830. Of the houses sold last year, most properties were found to be terraced.
Among the current schemes offering new homes across Swansea, Barratt’s Copper Quarter is in the north-east corner of the city, close to the new Swansea University Bay campus, with prices for apartments starting at £136,995. Help to Buy Wales is available to those not purchasing a buy-to-let home.
On the beautiful Gower Peninsula, Redrow is furthering its long-term commitment to providing executive new homes in Wales at The Nurseries in Bishopston, where four- and five-bedroom homes are priced from £524,995.
Those looking for a generous family home nearer the city centre could consider the boutique development of just 13 four- and five-bedroom properties at Howells Reach in Derwen Fawr. Prices start at £534,995, though with over half the homes already reserved, there are only a few chances left to secure one of these Waterstone Homes properties.
Pennant Homes, part of Coastal Housing Group, has some stylish contemporary two- and three-bedroom duplex apartments at Castle Quarter, adjacent to and with views of the ruins of Swansea Castle. Prices from £265,000.
Persimmon is coming soon to Swansea, with a couple of new developments in the pipeline: Mariners Walk will be close to the seafront and leisure facilities at Swansea Bay; and Glan yr Afon will provide 90 homes with two to four bedrooms close to the marina. Both launch in the spring.
In April 2016, detailed designs are expected to be submitted for the “Innovation Quarter” in SA1, the former docklands area which is undergoing a transformation with new homes, a university campus and community and commercial premises. Outline permission has been granted and if the detailed proposals are accepted, completion is expected in 2018.
Here find the new homes for sale in Swansea