List of tallest buildings in Cardiff explained

This is a list of the tallest buildings in Cardiff that are 45m (148feet) in height and above in the capital of Wales. They include buildings ranging from the ornate civic centre to the historic Cardiff Castle and Llandaff Cathedral. And bridge st exchange

The city's growth is reflected in its growing skyline.[1] As is the case with many British cities, some of Cardiff's skyline comprises 1960s and 1970s residential and commercial tower blocks. However, current development trends for high-rise buildings include upmarket apartments and office space.

Cardiff is the largest city in Wales and has the most tall buildings in the country.[2] Designed by Rio Architects,[3] the tallest building in Cardiff is Bridge Street Exchange at 85m (279feet). It replaced Capital Tower in 2018, which, at 80m (260feet), which had been the tallest building in Cardiff since 1970.

Cardiff Council considers a tall building within the city centre and Cardiff Bay to be 8 storeys or more or from 25m (82feet) in height.[4] Any proposals to the council for a tall building should "Generally be located within an existing cluster or form part of a proposal to create a new cluster (a cluster can be defined as a group of buildings which form a visual cohesion from more than one viewing point)".[4]

Tallest buildings

Tallest habitable buildings

The buildings are habitable either on a permanent or temporary basis, including residences or businesses.

RankNameHeight (m)Height (ft)FloorsYearUseclass=unsortableLocationclass=unsortableSourceclass=unsortableImageclass=unsortableNotes
1Bridge Street Exchange8585m (279feet)262018Residential and retail units [5] [6] [7] Student accommodation
2Interchange Tower, 4 Central Square83.5274222023Residential [8] Part of the Cardiff Bus Interchange and Legal & General offices
3Capital Tower80262251967Office and retail units[9] From 1967 until 2018, the tallest building in Cardiff to the top of the roof (architectural feature).
4Stadium House78 (excluding spire)256 (excluding spire)171976
(Renovated 2002)		Office[10] The lower levels of the building houses the Cardiff Empire Telephone Exchange. Also see Tallest uninhabitable buildings below.
5Zenith75 246262019Residential[11] Student accommodation
6The Copper Works (Y Gwaith Copr), Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street75246232023Residential[12]
7Altolusso72236232005Residential[13]
8Tŷ Pont Haearn63207212005Residential[14] Student accommodation
Meridian Gate6320721 2009Hotel[15]
10Tŷ Admiral61203142015Office and retail units[16] Not to be confused with Admiral House.
Designed by Glenn Howells Architects at a cost of £58 million.
Premier Inn (Stadium) Hotel 61200182023Hotel / restaurants
12Holland House60.360.3m (197.8feet)151968
(Renovated 2004)[17] 		Hotel[18] Converted office block
13William Morgan House58 (approx)190122020Office[19] UK Government Regional Hub and offices of HMRC. Named after the bible translator William Morgan (1545–1604).[20]
Helmont House58190121984Office / Hotel[21]
Brunel House58190161974[22] Office and retail units[23] Originally called Great Western House, headquarters for the Western Region of British Rail.[24]
16Horizon, Pendeen House 56184192014Residential[25]
17Vita Student Cardiff, 11 Park Place 55.2181182022Student accommodation [26]
18Admiral House55180162006 (Renovated)Residential[27] Not to be confused with Tŷ Admiral
19Landmark Place51167172004Residential and retail units[28]
20Cardiff University Tower Building5016412–University[29]
21Verse, 47-53 Charles Street50.5165162023Residential[30]
22Vega House, Celestia158feet1582007Residential[31]
Southgate House48157131978Office / Retail[32] Twin tower office block comprising one block 13 storeys and one block of 11 storeys
24Loudoun House47154161964Residential[33] In Butetown, a district of south Cardiff.
Nelson House47154161964Residential[34] In Butetown.
26ISIS 3D46151152007Residential[35]
McKenzie House4615112–University[36] Previously known as NPI House
Eastgate House46151141969Office[37]
29The Aspect4514815Residential and retail units[38] Converted office block
Century Wharf: Strata45148152009Residential[39]
The Neighbourhood4514811–Residential and retail units[40] [41] [42] Former City Road campus of Coleg Glan Hafren, converted in 2016 into a student accommodation and a coffee shop.

Tallest uninhabitable buildings

List of tallest uninhabitable buildings 40m (130feet) or above. An uninhabitable building refers to a building where most of the height is taken up by an architectural feature which is not habitable such as a mast, or bell tower.

RankNameHeight (m)Height (ft)YearUseclass=unsortableLocationclass=unsortableSourceclass=unsortableImageclass=unsortableNotes
1Stadium House125 (including spire)410 (including spire)1976
(Renovated 2002)		OfficeWith the communications mast, the structure (added in 2002) is the highest point in Cardiff. The stainless steel mast measures .
2Principality Stadium90 (masts)295 (masts)1999Stadium[43]
3Llandaff Cathedral59.401951290Cathedral[44] In Llandaff, a suburb of north Cardiff. Until 1967, the tallest building in Cardiff to the top of the spire (architectural feature).
4Cardiff City Hall Clock Tower591941905Civic building[45]
5St Andrews United Reformed Church461501900Church[46]
6Cardiff Castle Clock Tower401311873Monument[47]
St John the Baptist Church40131circa 1490 Church[48]

Buildings under construction, approved for construction or proposed

This list comprises buildings which are either under construction, approved for construction or proposed (April 2024).

RankNameHeight (m)Height (ft)FloorsApproved (Year)Under ConstructionImageUseSource
1Custom House Street Tower132433422016No - construction halted after the
installation of drainage/manhole		Student accommodation / retail[49] [50]
2113370352023NoResidential[51] [52] [53]
3Harlech Court, Bute Terrace 35ProposedNoResidential[54]
4John Street Tower (John Street - North) 992018NoMixed use [55]
5Hallinans House99322017NoMixed use [56] [57]
6Apartment tower, 1-6 Guildford Crescent 96302021YesResidential[58] [59]
7Plot 1, Central Quay90.5296292022YesMixed use [60]
8Friary HouseUp to 282024NoMixed use [61] [62]
9Gramercy Tower, 6 Curran Road 84275272020YesResidential[63]
10The Embankment 252023NoResidential[64] [65] [66]
11Plot 2, Central Quay76249242022YesMixed use [67]
12Plot 5, Pierhead Street182023YesStudent accommodation [68]
Longcross Court2024NoStudent accommodation [69]
14Anchor Works, Dumballs Road5217015YesResidential

Tallest demolished buildings

This list comprises buildings that were in the tallest buildings list at 40m (130feet) or above, but are now either being demolished or have been demolished.

NameHeight (m)Height (ft)FloorsCompletedImageDemolishedDuring
demolition		Previous useclass=unsortableLocationclass=unsortableSource
Phase 2, Government Buildings, Tŷ Glas732391819692024HMRC offices[70] [71]
Gleider House, Phase 1 Government Buildings, Tŷ Glas 44.501461119682024HMRC and Tenovus offices [72]

Cancelled developments

This list comprises buildings which were approved for construction but later cancelled.

RankNameHeight (m)Height (ft)FloorsProposal DateUseSource
1Bay Pointe122.8403332008Residential[73]
2Glass Needle Scheme, also known as Heritage Gateway Scheme107352322005Residential[74]
3Capitol Apartments75246252008Residential[75]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cardiff – A Capital City. 28 November 2009. Cardiff University.
  2. Web site: Skyscrapernews.com Wales. 28 November 2009. Skyscrapernews.
  3. Web site: Rio Architects. 15 April 2024. Cardiff University.
  4. Web site: Tall Buildings - Supplementary Planning Guidance. 15 June 2019. Cardiff Council.
  5. News: Tallest building for Cardiff gets 'topped out'. BBC News . 24 April 2018 .
  6. Web site: Bridge Street, Cardiff. 18 November 2016.
  7. Web site: These are the views from Cardiff's new tallest building. Will. Hayward. 25 April 2018. walesonline.
  8. Web site: Full Planning Permission. 17 March 2020.
  9. Web site: Capital Tower, Cardiff - Building #217. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  10. Web site: BT Stadium House, Cardiff - Building #223. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  11. Web site: These are the new tallest buildings in Cardiff. www.walesonline.co.uk. 3 August 2019 .
  12. Web site: Plot J, Capital Quarter, Tyndall Street, Cardiff. 3 April 2021.
  13. Web site: Altolusso, Cardiff - Building #644. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  14. Web site: Ty Pont Haearn, Cardiff - Building #1313. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  15. Web site: Meridian Gate; Hotel Tower, Cardiff - Building #1314. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  16. Web site: McAlpine to build £58m Cardiff office scheme. The Construction Index. 8 May 2019.
  17. Book: Mortimer, Dic. Cardiff: The Biography. 8 October 2014. Amberley Publishing. Stroud. 978-1-4456-4251-2. 164.
  18. Web site: Macdonald Holland House Hotel, Cardiff - 157871 - EMPORIS. https://web.archive.org/web/20170406021424/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/157871/macdonald-holland-house-hotel-cardiff-united-kingdom. dead. 6 April 2017. Emporis.
  19. Web site: How can you bring business to the heart of a city?. 2020-09-04. www.arup.com. en.
  20. Web site: UK Government's flagship new Wales home named after literary pioneer . Office of the Secretary of State for Wales . 31 October 2019 . 1 October 2020.
  21. Web site: Helmont House, Cardiff - Building #1469. www.skyscrapernews.com. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20230419095810/http://www.skyscrapernews.com/buildings.php?id=1469 . 19 April 2023.
  22. Book: Mortimer, Dic. Cardiff The Biography. 15 October 2014. Amberley Publishing Limited. 978-1-4456-4251-2. 163.
  23. Web site: Brunel House, Cardiff - Building #719. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  24. News: New nerve centre for Western Region network . . 22 March 1974 . 9 .
  25. Web site: Horizon. www.skyscrapercenter.com. 2 July 2023.
  26. Web site: Full Planning Permission. 30 July 2020.
  27. Web site: Admiral House, Cardiff - Building #967. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  28. Web site: Landmark Place, Cardiff - Building #716. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  29. Web site: Tower Building, Cardiff University, Cardiff - Building #1065. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  30. Web site: Full Planning Permission. 17 March 2020.
  31. Web site: Celestia. www.parkmans.co.uk.
  32. Web site: Southgate House, Cardiff - Building #4686. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  33. Web site: Loudoun House, Cardiff - Building #645. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  34. Web site: Nelson House, Cardiff - Building #647. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  35. Web site: ISIS 3D, Cardiff - Building #4868. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  36. Web site: NPI House, Cardiff - Building #648. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  37. Web site: Eastgate House, Cardiff - Building #720. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  38. Web site: The Aspect, Cardiff - Building #717. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  39. Web site: Century Wharf: Strata, Cardiff - Building #4869. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  40. Web site: Coleg Glan Hafren, City Road Building, Cardiff - Building #2257. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  41. News: Ruth Mosalski . Former city college building set to be turned into student accommodation if planners give the go-ahead . Wales Online . 20 July 2015 . 17 February 2019 .
  42. News: Ruth Mosalski . We bet your student flats never looked as good as these new ones . Wales Online . 14 March 2016 . 17 February 2019 .
  43. Web site: These are the new tallest buildings in Cardiff. www.walesonline.co.uk.
  44. Web site: Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff - Building #2768. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  45. Web site: Cardiff City Hall Clock Tower, Cardiff - Building #3682. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  46. Web site: St Andrew’s United Reformed Church. roathlocalhistorysociety.org.
  47. Web site: Cardiff Castle Clock Tower, Cardiff - Building #4930. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  48. Web site: Parish pimp. dicmortimer.com.
  49. Web site: Plans to build Wales' tallest building are given the go ahead. Ruth. Mosalski. 9 March 2016. walesonline.
  50. Web site: Plan for Wales' tallest building 'on hold' as 42-storey tower completion unclear. Ted. Peskett. 8 June 2023. walesonline.
  51. Web site: Plans approved for new residential tower in Cardiff. scottbrownrigg.com. 11 June 2023. 6 June 2023.
  52. Web site: The city centre tower block that could soon be the tallest building in Wales. Media Wales. 5 June 2023 . 6 June 2023.
  53. Web site: Agenda Document for Planning Committee, 08/06/2023 10:30. Cardiff Council. 6 June 2023. 2023-06-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20230606185749/https://cardiff.moderngov.co.uk/documents/g8120/Public%20reports%20pack%2008th-Jun-2023%2010.30%20Planning%20Committee.pdf?T=10&LLL=0. live.
  54. Web site: Tallest building in Wales planned for Cardiff city centre on Porter's site. Media Wales. March 2021 . 25 September 2021.
  55. Web site: 17/02615/MJR. 17 June 2022.
  56. Web site: 17/01063/MJR. 17 June 2022.
  57. Web site: 22/02641/VAR. 12 April 2024.
  58. Web site: Galliford Try go-ahead for landmark Cardiff tower. www.constructionenquirer.com/. 15 November 2021.
  59. Web site: Full Planning Permission. 23 November 2021.
  60. Web site: Full Planning Permission. 15 October 2023.
  61. Web site: Full Planning Permission. 9 April 2024. 2024-04-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20240409123729/https://cardiff.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s77138/2301174FUL%20Friary%20House.pdf. live.
  62. Web site: Huge new student accommodation block planned for Cardiff given the go-ahead. walesonline.co.uk. 11 April 2024. 12 April 2024.
  63. Web site: Full Planning Permission. 3 April 2021.
  64. Web site: 6.0 Masterplan Strategies. https://web.archive.org/web/20231111125704/https://embankmentcardiff.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Design-and-Access-Statement_optimized_Part2.pdf . 11 November 2023. 11 November 2023 .
  65. Web site: Gramercy Tower. Emporis.com. 7 April 2021.
  66. Web site: Works starts on new 27-storey tower for the centre of Cardiff. Sion. Barry. 25 March 2022. 30 April 2022. walesonline.
  67. Web site: Full Planning Permission. 17 June 2022.
  68. Web site: Cardiff Bay Development. Cardiff Sixth Form College. 21 April 2022 . 16 May 2022.
  69. Web site: Planning – Application Summary. Cardiff Council. 10 June 2024 . 16 May 2022. 22 June 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240622103444/https://www.cardiffidoxcloud.wales/publicaccess/applicationDetails.do?keyVal=SE4S0ZECMI300&activeTab=summary. live.
  70. Web site: Government Buildings, Cardiff - Building #1312. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  71. Web site: Hignell . A. K. . Post-war changes in Llanishen . Atschool . https://web.archive.org/web/20060220092933/http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/wellscs/geog/Llan6.html . 20 February 2006.
  72. Web site: Gleider House. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  73. News: Wales' tallest building approved. 28 February 2008. news.bbc.co.uk.
  74. Web site: Urban Solutions, Glass Needle Scheme. www.skyscrapernews.com.
  75. Web site: Capitol Apartments, Cardiff - Building #5481. www.skyscrapernews.com.

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