Cardiff Co-Living Tower Gets Green Light – Cardiff 2026

Key Points

• Cardiff council has issued a resolution to grant planning permission for a 33-storey co-living tower on Custom House Street
• The development by Watkin Jones will provide 400 fully furnished co-living studios with shared amenities
• Rio Architects designed the scheme, which replaces an earlier 42-storey student accommodation proposal from 2016
• Formal planning permission is expected in late summer 2026, subject to completion of a Section 106 agreement
• The site has remained vacant for several years, located near Cardiff Central Station and St David’s Shopping Centre
• The tower targets young professionals, graduates, and smaller households seeking flexible city centre rental accommodation
• Shared facilities include communal kitchens, dining spaces, resident lounges, fitness facilities, and landscaped social areas
• The approval adds to Watkin Jones’ growing Cardiff pipeline following practical completion of Tai Afon at Central Quay

Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) June 8, 2026 – Cardiff council has approved plans for a 33-storey co-living tower designed by Rio Architects after the site’s developer scrapped proposals for a taller student accommodation scheme on the site. The build-to-rent specialist Watkin Jones has received a resolution to grant planning permission for the Custom House Street scheme, subject to completion of a Section 106 agreement, with formal planning permission expected in late summer.

What Led to Cardiff Council Approving the 33-Storey Co-Living Tower?

The 33-storey project will regenerate a long-vacant city centre site close to Cardiff Central Station and St David’s Shopping Centre. An originally planned 42-storey student accommodation tower was approved in 2016 but stalled due to challenging market circumstances and shifting demand.

This led the student accommodation and build-to-rent developer to recast the scheme as co-living, allowing a drop in height.

As reported by Construction Enquirer, the tower will include 400 fully-furnished co-living studios with shared kitchens, dining areas, lounges, fitness facilities and landscaped communal areas. The scheme features a three-storey arched brick plinth to create a human-scale link to public realm.

Who Is Watkin Jones and What Does the Developer Say About the Project?

Watkin Jones said the project will help meet demand from young professionals and smaller households looking for managed rental homes in the city centre.

The developer is the UK’s leading developer and manager of residential properties for rent, according to earlier consultation documentation.

As reported by Building, Design & Construction Magazine, the proposed tower on Custom House Street will transform a long-vacant city centre site and create a significant new residential destination aimed at meeting changing housing demands within the Welsh capital.

The scheme is intended to cater for young professionals, graduates and smaller households seeking flexible, professionally managed accommodation within a highly connected city centre location.

How Will the Tower Be Designed and What Amenities Will It Offer?

Designed by Rio Architects, the individual bedrooms provide comfortable living, dining, sleeping and relaxing spaces alongside an en-suite bathroom, while shared communal kitchens, living spaces and events encourage social interaction and a community-oriented lifestyle. Other shared facilities will include a gym, gardens and co-working spaces.

As reported by Rio Architects, the firm is advancing the design of a 33-storey, 400-unit co-living tower in the heart of Cardiff city centre, a vertical community conceived to respond to its urban context while contributing confidently to the city’s evolving skyline.

Once complete, the tower will provide 400 fully furnished co-living studios supported by a range of shared amenities, including communal kitchens, dining spaces, resident lounges, fitness facilities and landscaped social areas.

Why Is This Development Significant for Cardiff’s Housing Market?

Co-living developments have continued to gain momentum across major UK cities as developers and local authorities explore new ways to address housing demand, affordability challenges and changing lifestyle preferences.

The model combines private living space with extensive shared amenities, creating community-focused environments designed to appeal to modern urban residents.

The development of the long vacant brownfield site in the city centre will provide approximately 400 co-living units, typically for young people wanting a more convenient and community-focussed housing option.

The proposed 33-storey building is located 300 metres east of Cardiff Central station and the Cardiff Bus interchange, and will offer high-quality studios in a modern and flexible co-living environment.

What Does This Approval Mean for Watkin Jones’ Cardiff Pipeline?

The approval adds to the developer’s growing Cardiff pipeline after phase one of its Central Quay development, Tai Afon, practically completed last month.

As reported by Building, Design & Construction Magazine, the developer recently celebrated the practical completion of Tai Afon, the first phase of its wider Central Quay regeneration project, which is transforming the former Brains Brewery site into a major mixed-use neighbourhood.

With Cardiff continuing to attract investment, new residents and businesses, the Custom House Street development is expected to play an important role in supporting the city’s ongoing growth while bringing a prominent vacant site back into productive use. The approval also strengthens Watkin Jones’ growing presence in Cardiff.

When Will Formal Planning Permission Be Granted?

Formal planning permission is expected later this summer, subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement. As reported by Building, Design & Construction Magazine, formal planning approval is expected later this summer, subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement.

The development is currently still in its pre-planning application phase, and Watkin Jones, in collaboration with Lichfields, the planning consultants, held two virtual webinars in January 2025 to gauge the views of, and obtain suggestions from, the local community and stakeholders on the plans ahead of submission. Public engagement for one of the tallest buildings in Cardiff commenced in January 2025.

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Background of the Development

The Custom House Street site has remained vacant for several years following the approval of an earlier 42-storey purpose-built student accommodation tower in 2016. That original consent failed to progress amid changing market conditions and evolving demand patterns. The development is located 300 metres east of Cardiff Central station and the Cardiff Bus interchange in the heart of Cardiff city centre.

Watkin Jones, in collaboration with planning consultants Lichfields, began public consultation in January 2025, holding virtual webinars to gather community input before submitting the planning application. The site is described as a long-vacant brownfield site in the city centre.

The architectural practice Rio Architects designed both the original 42-storey student accommodation proposal and the revised 33-storey co-living scheme.

The shift from student accommodation to co-living reflects broader market trends, with the developer recasting the scheme to align with current urban living trends and demand patterns. This represents a fresh vision for the site.

Prediction: How This Development Will Affect Cardiff Residents and Young Professionals

This development will directly affect young professionals, graduates, and smaller households seeking rental accommodation in Cardiff city centre by adding 400 managed co-living units to the housing supply. The co-living model offers flexible, professionally managed accommodation with extensive shared amenities, which may provide an alternative to traditional private renting for this demographic.

The regeneration of the long-vacant brownfield site near Cardiff Central Station and St David’s Shopping Centre will bring a prominent vacant site back into productive use, potentially contributing to the visual improvement of the city centre.

The development’s location 300 metres from Cardiff Central station and the Cardiff Bus interchange provides high connectivity for residents.

For Cardiff’s housing market, the addition of co-living units aligns with momentum seen across major UK cities as developers and local authorities explore new ways to address housing demand and affordability challenges. The project supports Cardiff’s ongoing growth as the city continues to attract investment, new residents and businesses.

The development may influence rental market dynamics in the city centre by introducing a professionally managed co-living product that combines private studios with shared communal facilities, potentially affecting demand for traditional one-bedroom flats among young professionals.