Finnish waterfront developer Nordic Urban is planning a £17m year-round outdoor bathing and sauna complex at Mount Stuart Graving Docks in Cardiff Bay – it’s first project in UK and Ireland.
Allas Pool Cardiff
The Allas Pool Cardiff scheme would bring the grade II-listed, disused, dry docks back into operation as a 21527 sq ft complex centred around a 25-metre heated outdoor swimming pool.
Plans for the development include hot and cold pools, four saunas, changing and relaxation facilities, a restaurant and café, and outdoor terraces overlooking the water.
The terraces and waterside walk around the docks will remain open to public use.
Nordic Urban has a conditional agreement with Cardiff Council for a long-term lease on the site once planning consent is secured, and plans to submit a formal application next month. If the scheme is approved, construction is expected to take around two years.
Allas Pool Cardiff
The scheme was designed by three specialist firms, with Finnish practice OOPEAA leading on concept design, GROSS.MAX as the landscape architect, and SPACE & PLACE set to spearhead the development phase.
Raoul Grünstein, chief executive at Nordic Urban, said: “Cardiff Bay has one of the most striking industrial waterfronts anywhere in Britain, and these docks have stood empty for decades. Our plan keeps the dock and its structures intact and puts them back into everyday use for local people to enjoy.”
“Our aim is to play a role in revitalising the waterfront and create a development where people can swim, sit in a sauna, eat and meet by the water, open all year and open to everyone. We believe this will be a real asset to Cardiff for years to come.”
A pre-application consultation on the proposals has been opened this week, closing on 13 October.
