Building communities on site of old Cardiff pub
Client: Jehu
Location: Cardiff
Rumpoles was a famed pub in the centre of Cardiff, neighbouring the courts and central fire station; the former building has been demolished, however, to make way for new residential properties in this well-positioned area.
Main contractor Jehu Project Services took great care to listen to considerations when creating what is now known as Bailey’s Court for developer United Welsh, a housing association that was looking for new properties specifically to house those affected by what has become known as the ‘bedroom tax’.
Minister for Communities, Lesley Griffiths, officially opened Bailey’s Court and was quoted as saying: “I am particularly pleased the Welsh Government has been able to support this development, as it is made up of smaller, affordable properties. It is vital we invest in properties such as these in order to protect people in Wales.”
Like all tall multi-storey residential developments, Bailey’s Court requires smoke control systems to be in place, ensuring that smoke is kept away from residents and fire fighters if/when a fire breaks out. The design chosen was an Adexsi UK VeriShaft, which uses fans on the roof to draw smoke into a shaft and away from escape routes. It’s an efficient system which takes up minimal structure space but can react quickly to a blaze to maximise safety. The five-storey Adamsdown development comprises 49 one and two-bedroom apartments designed to meet specific housing association requirements. Nine local apprentices were employed during the construction of the scheme, which was backed by £2.7 million funding from the Welsh Government.