BBC picks designers for £25m Cardiff centre

FAT Architecture and Holder Mathias Architects have been lined up to design a £25m centre for the BBC in Wales, Building understands.

The practices are understood to be working with developer Igloo Regeneration on its Roath Basin project in Cardiff Bay, to design a production hub for the state broadcaster.

Speculation that the scheme could host a new production village for the BBC has been rife since the organisation announced plans to relocate hospital drama Casualty to Wales in March, but the broadcaster has so far refused to confirm the project will go ahead.

However, last week Igloo and the Welsh assembly put out tender notices for construction works at Roath Basin, which named the BBC project as the first phase of the scheme and valued the building works at £17–25m. A separate notice advertised infrastructure works worth £2–9m.

We’d be delighted if BBC Cymru Wales were to relocate to facilities at Roath Basin

Mark Hallett, Igloo

It is understood a deal between Igloo and the BBC is likely to be finalised in the next few weeks and the broadcaster is considering taking on a further 200,000ft2 for back office space.

In total, Roath Basin will have 1.2 million ft2 of commercial space plus more than 1,000 homes and 123,000ft2 of leisure and community facilities. Igloo has outline planning permission for £2.2m worth of development, but hopes to eventually build more than £500m worth.

Architect DEGW – now owned by Davis Langdon – has been working on the masterplan for some years but FAT and HMA have been brought in specifically for the BBC project. If it proceeds as expected, all BBC Wales dramas, including Dr Who and Torchwood, will move to the site.

Mark Hallett, development director at Igloo, said: “It’s not our policy to comment on a potential occupier. However, we would be delighted if BBC Cymru Wales were to relocate to facilities at Roath Basin.”