Cardiff Bay (
Welsh: Bae Caerdydd; colloquially "The Bay") is an area and
freshwater lake[1][2] in
Cardiff,
Wales. The site of a former tidal
bay and
estuary, it is the
river mouth of the
River Taff and
Ely. The body of water was converted into a 500-acre (2.0 km2) lake as part of a
UK Government redevelopment project, involving the damming of the rivers by the
Cardiff Bay Barrage in 1999. The barrage impounds the rivers from the
Severn Estuary, providing flood defence and the creation of a permanent non-tidal
high water lake with limited access to the sea, serving as a core feature of the redevelopment of the area in the 1990s.
Surrounding the lake is a 4.25 sq mi (11.0 square kilometres) area of redeveloped former derelict
docklands[3] which shares its name. The area is situated between
Cardiff city centre and
Penarth, in the communities of
Butetown and
Grangetown. Its waterfront is home to notable attractions, in particular regarding
Welsh politics; with
devolved institutions such as the
Senedd building (housing the
Senedd, the Welsh Parliament),
Pierhead Building and
Tŷ Hywel; and cultural attractions including the
Wales Millennium Centre and
Norwegian Church. The presence of devolved institutions in Cardiff Bay has led to its name's use as a
metonym for devolved Welsh politics. According to
Cardiff Council, the creation of Cardiff Bay is regarded as one of the most successful regeneration projects in the United Kingdom.[4] The bay was formerly tidal, with access to the sea limited to a couple of hours each side of high water but now provides 24-hour access through three locks.[5]
On 15 June 1910 the
Terra Nova Expedition left the Roath Basin in Cardiff's docklands and headed south to Antarctica. On board were Captain
Robert Falcon Scott and members of his British Antarctic Expedition, who aimed to be the first to reach the South Pole. Scott's entire party of five died on the return journey from the pole.
Cardiff Bay played a major part in
Cardiff’s development by being the means of exporting
coal from the
South Wales Valleys to the rest of the world, helping to power the industrial age. The
coal mining industry helped fund the building of
Cardiff into the
capital city of Wales and helped the
Third Marquis of Bute, who owned the docks, become the richest man in the world at the time.
As Cardiff exports grew, so did its population; dockworkers and sailors from across the world settled in neighbourhoods close to the docks, known as Tiger Bay, and communities from up to 50 different nationalities, including
Norwegian,
Somali,
Yemeni,
Greek,
Spanish,
Italian,
Caribbean and
Irish helped create the unique
multicultural character of the area.[2]
After the
Second World War most of the industry closed down and the area became a neglected part of Cardiff, a wasteland of derelict docks and mudflats. Social exclusion of the area's inhabitants rose and Cardiff Bay had above average levels of unemployment.[2] But, in 1999, new life was injected into the area by the building of the
Cardiff Bay Barrage, one of the most controversial building projects of the day but also one of the most successful.[8]
The
Cardiff Bay Development Corporation (CBDC) was created in 1987 to stimulate the redevelopment of 1,100 hectares (2,700 acres) of derelict land.[9] The Development Corporation aimed to attract private capital by spending public money to improve the area. Despite opposition by
environmentalists and wildlife organisations, the
mudflats at the mouths of the River Taff and River Ely were inundated, with loss of habitat for
wading birds. The Barrage has created several new habitats for freshwater species with the
wetlands to the south of the Hamadryad Park.
When the Development Corporation was wound up in on 31 March 2000, it had achieved many of its objectives. The whole area was unrecognisable from ten years before. Much private land was now open to the public, particularly around the inner harbour and the north side of Roath basin. Work is progressing to complete a 13 kilometre walkway around the bay. In addition, the development has enabled land in the
city centre to be redeveloped for higher-value uses.[10]
Connecting the bay area to the centre of Cardiff was a primary goal when plans to develop the docklands were first mooted. Original plans included a grand boulevard (similar to where
Lloyd George Avenue is located now) with high-density commercial and residential units straddling both sides. This would have created significant demand for quality public transport provisions facilitating connections to the new Bay area but public transport was often of poor quality and, but there are now much-improved connections through the
Cardiff BusBayCar service and rail service from
Cardiff Queen Street to
Cardiff Bay railway station.
On 30 January 2013 the planning consultant, Adrian Jones, stated that Cardiff Bay was a contender for the "worst example of waterside regeneration in Britain".[11]
The
St David's Hotel & Spa is a
5-star luxuryhotel with commanding views of the bay and Penarth.[12] Built by Rocco Forte in 2000, the hotel was sold in 2007, to Principal-Haley hotels.
The
Norwegian Church Arts Centre, is a rescued historic wooden church that was rebuilt in 1992 and operates as a registered self funded not for profit charity. It is managed by
Cardiff Harbour Authority and is as a venue for small concerts, art exhibitions, conferences, meetings and celebrations.[14]
When living in Cardiff as a child, the famous children's author
Roald Dahl attended this church.
Craft in the Bay
A refurbished Victorian dockside building houses
Craft in the Bay, the home of the Makers Guild in Wales.
Techniquest
Techniquest is an educational science & discovery centre, which also includes a science theatre and planetarium.
Roald Dahl Plass
Roald Dahl Plass is a large open amphitheatre style plaza frequently used as a venue for carnivals and festivals all year round.
Mermaid Quay
Mermaid Quay comprises a mix of restaurants, bars, cafés, shops and services located on the waterfront.
The
Red Dragon Centre (formerly Atlantic Wharf Leisure Village), a leisure and entertainment complex.
Appearances in the media
Cardiff Bay was used as the high-tech urban setting for the Doctor Who episode "
Boom Town" and the show's spinoff, Torchwood, whose makers deliberately avoided stereotypical portrayals of Wales in order to portray Cardiff as the modern urban centre it is today. In Torchwood series, there is a giant secret base underneath the bay, named "The Hub", from where the Torchwood team works. There is also a lift from the hub into the plaza with a perception filter making anyone who stands on the spot "not noticed". In the third series of Torchwood entitled "Children Of Earth", Cardiff Bay was the centre of a bomb explosion, destroying the Torchwood Hub and Cardiff Bay.[18]Roald Dahl Plass features prominently. In the episode "
Utopia", the Plass is home to a rift that the Doctor uses to refuel his TARDIS. The Doctor Who episode "
The Runaway Bride" made use of office buildings in Cardiff Bay.[19]
The
Pont y Werin pedestrian and cycle bridge opened in July 2010, completing a six and a half-mile circular route around Cardiff Bay and Penarth.
A cycle hire system, similar to those in other large cities, launched in September 2009, and includes 70 bikes and 35 hire points (initially seven) around the centre and the south of the city. The current stations are: Central Station; Cardiff Bay Station; County Hall; Cardiff Bay Visitors’ Centre; Churchill Way; City Hall and eastern Queen Street. It is necessary to register before using bike. The first half an hour is free after which a small hourly fee is payable.[20][21]
Under the
South Wales Metro Scheme, 3 new metro stations are due to be built in the area, serving a new Cardiff Bay, Roath Lock & Porth Tiegr.
Gallery
Panorama of the Cardiff Bay in March 2008
Side view of the Norwegian Church
Cardiff Bay at night
Wetlands walkway in Cardiff Bay
Cardiff Bay Barrage Control Building
Three Bascule Bridges, Cardiff Bay Barrage
View of Cardiff barrage at sea
Cardiff Bay Barrage lock in use
Sculpture by Jonathan Williams depicting
Captain Scott, outside the Norwegian Church