St David’s Cardiff Adds £157m to Economy, 2026

Key Points

• St David’s Cardiff contributed £157,185,922 to the local economy in 2025 and supported 3,923 jobs across Landsec, its retail partners and on-site businesses.
• The centre helped 248 people move closer to employment through employability partnerships and work placements.
• St David’s delivered £544,443.98 in social value in 2025 via bursaries, community grants, volunteering and local partnerships.
• The destination reduced its energy intensity by 7% in 2025, reflecting Landsec’s sustainability commitments.
• Helen Morgan, Centre Director at St David’s Cardiff, framed these outcomes as evidence of the centre’s role in supporting local businesses, employment and community wellbeing.
• Findings come from Landsec’s annual social and economic impact report for 2025, which sets out economic contributions, social investments and environmental performance.

Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) July 22, 2026 – St David’s Cardiff contributed £157,185,922 to the local economy and supported 3,923 jobs in 2025, according to Landsec’s 2025 social and economic impact report, which also states the destination delivered £544,443.98 in social value, helped 248 people move closer to employment and reduced energy intensity by 7%.

What did Landsec’s 2025 report say St David’s Cardiff contributed to the local economy?

As reported by Landsec in its annual social and economic impact report for 2025, the retail destination generated an economic contribution of £157,185,922 to the local area.

The company quantified this figure as the combined output and value created by the centre’s operations, retail partners and associated businesses during the year.

How many jobs did St David’s Cardiff support in 2025 and how were they counted?

Landsec’s report states that St David’s supported 3,923 jobs across the owner’s operations, the retail partners operating within the centre and other businesses based at the destination. The total includes full-time, part-time and seasonal positions linked directly to the centre’s activity, as presented in the company’s published impact assessment.

How did St David’s help people move into employment?

Landsec says St David’s helped 248 people move closer to employment in 2025 through employability partnerships and work placements.

The report attributes these outcomes to partnerships with local organisations, which provide hands-on industry experience, structured work placements and employability support aimed at improving job readiness.

What social value did St David’s deliver and which programmes were included?

The report records that St David’s delivered £544,443.98 in social value in 2025. Landsec identifies this social value as the monetised benefit arising from the centre’s investments in community initiatives such as bursaries, community grants, volunteering activities and partnerships with local charities and organisations that support wellbeing and inclusion.

How did St David’s perform on energy and sustainability in 2025?

Landsec reports a 7% reduction in energy intensity at St David’s in 2025. The reduction is presented as part of Landsec’s broader sustainability strategy to operate destinations that deliver lasting value for local communities and the environment, although the report does not provide a full technical breakdown of the measures responsible for the improvement in energy intensity.

What did the centre director say about these findings?

As reported by Helen Morgan, Centre Director at St David’s Cardiff,

“Retail destinations are part of the fabric of the communities they serve. They help local businesses grow, create employment opportunities and provide places where people can come together, connect and spend time. The findings demonstrate the important contribution St David’s continues to make to Cardiff. By investing in the destination, supporting employment, working with community partners and operating more sustainably, we’re helping businesses and communities thrive. In turn, that attracts further investment, supports long‑term growth and creates lasting value for the local area.”

What methods and sources underlie the figures in Landsec’s report?

Landsec’s social and economic impact reports typically combine internal business data, third‑party economic modelling and metrics for social value such as Social Return on Investment or other recognised frameworks. The 2025 figures for St David’s are presented by Landsec as the output of that methodology; the company’s published report is the primary source for the numbers quoted above.

What broader context does this contribution sit within for Cardiff and retail in general?

Landsec positions St David’s as one of the UK’s leading retail destinations; its reported economic and social contributions form part of the company’s case that well‑managed retail centres continue to play a role in local economies.

The figures should be read alongside broader trends affecting the retail sector, such as changing consumer behaviour, the growth of leisure-led destinations and ongoing efforts by landlords and operators to diversify income streams and improve sustainability.

What specific employment initiatives did Landsec cite for the 248 people moved closer to work?

Landsec attributes these outcomes to employability partnerships and work placements that provide hands-on industry experience.

The report highlights collaboration with local training providers, charities and schools to deliver placements, mentoring and tailored support designed to increase participants’ employability and help bridge the gap to paid roles in retail, hospitality and support services at the centre and beyond.

How did Landsec monetise the social value of £544,443.98?

Landsec’s published report presents the social value figure as an aggregate monetised outcome from community investments, including bursaries, community grants and volunteering.

The report treats these investments as creating measurable benefits to recipients and the wider community; however, the document does not disclose line‑by‑line valuations for each programme in the summary figures and further detail would be found within the full impact report or annexes.

Which retailers and partners are included in the job and economic counts?

Landsec’s reporting counts jobs and contributions across the centre’s umbrella of retailers, leisure operators, service providers and businesses based at St David’s.

The company does not list every partner in the summary release, but notes that the totals reflect the aggregate employment and activity of both Landsec-managed operations and the wider tenant ecosystem within the destination.

What are Landsec’s stated strategic aims for destinations like St David’s?

Landsec frames its strategy for managed destinations around economic contribution, social value and sustainability.

The company emphasises investment in the fabric of its centres, fostering partnerships that improve local employment prospects and implementing energy efficiency measures to reduce environmental impact, as reflected by the 7% reduction in energy intensity reported for St David’s in 2025.

Are there independent validations of the report’s figures?

The published statement and impact report are originating materials from Landsec. Independent verification or peer review of corporate impact reports varies by company and by year; readers seeking third‑party validation should consult any audit statements, the methodological annex of Landsec’s report or external assessments commissioned by local authorities or research partners.

How did Landsec contextualise the environmental performance improvement?

Landsec presented the 7% reduction in energy intensity at St David’s as part of its ongoing operational improvements.

The company links such reductions to its broader commitment to creating sustainable places that deliver lasting value for communities, though the headline figure in the summary does not specify whether it refers to site-wide energy use, energy per square metre, or another intensity metric.

What reactions or commentary did local stakeholders provide?

In the company’s release, the quoted voice comes from Helen Morgan, the centre director, who highlighted the centre’s role in supporting businesses, creating jobs and nurturing community wellbeing.

The report does not include statements from local council officials, retailers or community groups in the summary release; further local reaction may be available in regional press coverage or through direct enquiries to relevant stakeholders.

What limitations should readers note about the reported figures?

Readers should note that corporate social and economic impact reports typically apply economic modelling and monetisation techniques that rely on assumptions.

The headline contributions and social value metrics are useful for understanding reported impact but are shaped by the methodologies chosen by the company. For precise comparisons or policy decisions, users should examine the full report, methodological notes and any third‑party verification.

Background of this development

St David’s Cardiff opened in stages after major redevelopment in the early 2000s and has since been one of Wales’s largest retail and leisure destinations.

Owned by Landsec, a major UK real estate investor and manager, St David’s sits in the city centre and combines shopping, dining and leisure offers that attract local residents, regional visitors and tourists. Over recent years, large retail destinations have adapted to shifts in shopping patterns by emphasising experiential retail, leisure and community programmes.

Landsec publishes annual social and economic impact reports to quantify how its assets perform beyond rent rolls, highlighting employment, community investment and environmental metrics as parts of a broader corporate strategy to demonstrate value to stakeholders and local communities.

Prediction: how this development can affect local businesses, workers and residents

• Local businesses: The reported £157m contribution and centre activity can sustain footfall for retailers and hospitality operators, encouraging continued tenant investment and potentially attracting new brands. This may support supply-chain and service businesses that rely on centre visitors.
• Workers and jobseekers: Documented support for 3,923 jobs and 248 people moving closer to employment suggests maintained or rising opportunities for local hiring, especially in retail and leisure. Employability partnerships could improve workforce skills and hireability, but labour market conditions and retailer demand remain determining factors.
• Community and social partners: The monetised social value and community programmes can strengthen ties between the centre and local organisations, providing funding and volunteer capacity for local projects and educational initiatives.
• Residents and visitors: Energy intensity improvements and community investments may enhance the centre’s appeal and operational resilience, offering cleaner, more efficient facilities and more community-focused programming.
• Policy and planning: Local authorities and economic development bodies may use Landsec’s figures when considering city-centre strategies, funding allocations or partnership opportunities, but should balance corporate-reported figures with independent data and broader economic indicators.