Tetra Tech Planning coordinated the planning and listed building consents for the regeneration of the Grade II listed TramShed depot, Cardiff
We coordinated both the planning and listed building consents to enable the regeneration of the former TramShed depot – a derelict Grade II-listed tram depot in Cardiff.
Photos courtesy of T Sheds Development Ltd
The redevelopment of the building includes 1,000-capacity performance venue, 30 combined living and working accommodation units, a cinema, flexible office space, and other community facilities.
The proposed complex mixed–use scheme looked at the existing building as a ‘container’ within which the new functions and uses sit, whilst retaining and celebrating the existing shell of the building. Early engagement and consultation with the local community was particularly important because of the prominence of the building within the local area and its legacy for the industrial history of Cardiff.
Through collaborative working, all participants in the project ensured the creative regeneration of a distinctive building from concept to operational stage.
The venue – just a stone’s throw away from the city centre – was opened to the public in October 2015 and the investment has become a catalyst for further regeneration within the Grangetown locality, providing a hub for local and creative communities. The TramShed is Wales’ first self–sustaining arts centre and business hub, having already created over 150 jobs.
In a period of just under two years, the scheme has gone from the initial design concepts discussed with the local planning authority to a full design review process, granting of planning and listed building consent, discharge of all necessary planning conditions and the delivery of new uses.
These timescales for any development are exceptional. But considering the issues relating to the listing, this represents a significant achievement. The TramShed is an exemplar of best practice in planning for heritage. It is a benchmark against which the conversion of future listed buildings can be assessed. The project was commended in the RTPI Cymru Wales Planning Awards 2016.
