While there are concerns that the proposed £1.2bn Swansea Bay tidal lagoon project might not get the required green subsidy approval from the UK Government, there are plenty of other projects that will be completed or started in Wales in 2018 from Caernarfon to Newport.

Central Quay, Cardiff

Central Quay scheme

In scale the Central Quay development, subject to planning, will eclipse Rightacre Properties' existing Central Square regeneration scheme.

On the site of the existing Brains brewery, and when including six acres of land immediately south of Cardiff Central Railway Station currently owned by Network Rail, Central Quay could see well over 2 million sq ft of new office, retail and apartments built alongside the River Taff.

And it could also be home to the new School of Technologies for 2,000 students from Cardiff Metropolitan University.

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A detailed planning application for the first phase of Central Quay is expected to be submitted to Cardiff Council early next year

This first phase will include:

  • A 220,000 sq ft landmark office building.
  • A multi-storey car park for 650 vehicles.
  • A 200-bedroom hotel.

Subject to planning work will start next summer, with a scheduled completion of summer 2020.

Central Square, Cardiff

The regeneration scheme from Rightacres Property in the centre of Cardiff will reach further significant milestones next year.

Work on the 135,000 sq ft 2 Central Square office scheme is progressing well and its tenants in law firm Hugh James and Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, will start moving into the Rio Architects designed building in the summer.

And the new £120m headquarters for BBC Cymru Wales at Central Square is expected to be handed over to the public service broadcaster in the spring.

But then will begin an intensive 18 month technology driven fit out of the building.

There will be around 750 work desk spaces, but it is not envisaged that all 1,200 staff will ever be in the building at the same.

And if so, it has the fall back of around 1,000 spaces in the collaboration and meeting room spaces around the building.

BBC Wales has yet to finalise its staff migration programme but it will see the first staff, most likely in non news administration roles, moving into the building in autumn 2019.

The plan is to have all staff in the building in the first quarter of 2020.

Also at Central Square a new 270,000 sq ft public sector hub for the UK Government will start to take real shape in 2018 with construction work from Sir Robert McAlpine having recently started.

The building, whose tenants will include HMRC for its new HQ in Wales and the Wales Office, will be ready for occupancy in 2020.

New bus station, Cardiff

The new look bus station and wider Interchange scheme

Work on a new bus station at the heart of a major development, that will also see new office space and 400 apartments in the centre of Cardiff, will start early next year.

It comes after confirmation of the intention to deliver the Interchange project at Central Square through an innovative special purpose vehicle made up of Cardiff Council, the developer behind the Central Square regeneration scheme, Rightacres, and the Welsh Government.

It is specifically being established to deliver Metro related project.

A new bus station, linked to Cardiff Central Railway Station, is seen as a key Metro related scheme that aims to create closer links between rail, bus and coach services, as well cycle users, in the city and the wider Cardiff Capital Region.

The joint venture will be known as the Metro Delivery Partnership.

And it will look to recoup their investment - with a profit margin - by selling the scheme on to an institutional investor.

The scheme will consist of:

  • The bus station with retail units on the ground floor.
  • 110,000 sq ft of new office space.
  • 400 private apartments that will be available for rent.
  • 250 car park spaces above the bus station.

The entire project will take around two years to deliver.

Swansea Central

An image of how the new indoor arena would look

By the end of 2018, work will have started on Swansea’s new digital indoor arena and Kingsway’s major transformation will be taking even more shape.

A contractor for the first phase of the Swansea Central development will be appointed by the summer, which is made up of the 3,500-capacity digital indoor arena, car parking facilities and a new, broad pedestrian footbridge over Oystermouth Road.

Due to host up to 200 days of touring shows, concerts, exhibitions and other events a year, the digital indoor arena will be up and running in 2020.

Rivington Land is managing the Swansea Central development for Swansea Council, which will see new shops, restaurants, public spaces and other facilities built on the former St David’s shopping centre site under a second phase of works.

Leader of Swansea Council, Rob Stewart said:“The digital indoor arena will be the centrepiece of the exciting Swansea Central development, giving people across south west Wales access to world class entertainment, while acting as a catalyst for further investment.

“We have also started the search for a hotel operator close to the indoor arena, with early work now on-going to considerably improve Kingsway’s look and feel, as we pave the way for the street’s transformation into an employment district that will open up thousands of jobs for local people and boost city centre spending.

“We have always been determined to deliver on our promise to transform the city centre into a destination that meets people’s aspirations, with 2018 being the year that people start to see boots on the ground and cranes in the sky.”

Kingsway, Swansea

The new look planned for the Kingsway

Also forming part of Kingsway’s future is a digital district, funded by significant City Deal investment secured from the UK Government for the Swansea Bay City Region.

With a return to two-way traffic, the refurbishment of existing buildings, the construction of new buildings and the introduction of far more greenery and public spaces, it’s hoped Kingsway’s new environment will help attract major employers, while also providing digital infrastructure that will help tech businesses and young entrepreneurial talent thrive.

Cable cars, Swansea

Artist impression of the proposed Cable Car ride viewing platform on Kilvey Hill

To be funded entirely by private finance, the council will also continue to work on detailed designs and legal discussions with a New Zealand-based company called Skyline Enterprises that could see a new cable car, toboggan ride, zip wire ride, restaurant and panoramic viewing platform attraction developed on Kilvey Hill.

As well as resorts featuring cable car rides and other attractions in New Zealand, Skyline Enterprises runs luge rides in Canada, South Korea and Singapore.

SA1 Swansea Waterfront

The first phase of the SA1 Swansea Waterfront development from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David will be ready for the start of the 2018-19 academic year in September.

It will provide new homes for the university's faculties of architecture, computing and engineering, as well as for teaching and communities. It will also provide a new library.

Details on the second phase of the project, including a box village using thousands of shipping containers that will provide waterfront space for the worlds of business and academia to collaborate, will be confirmed early next year.

Chartist Tower, Newport

The view from Newport's tallest building Chartist Tower

Earlier next year plans will be brought forward for the redevelopment of the 15-storey Chartist Tower in the centre of Newport.

The long-term lease interest in the city's tallest building, which could support up to 200,000 sq ft of development, was recently acquired by Garrison Barclay Estates.

The scheme could see a wave of new development including retail, residential and office, as well as potentially housing a hotel.

ICC Wales, Newport

Artist's impression of the International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales) at the Celtic Manor Resort

2018 will also be a pivotal year for the £83m International Convention Wales (ICC Wales) at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport.

Work officially started on the project, in a joint venture between the Celtic Manor Resort and the Welsh Government, over the summer.

It will be the biggest convention centre ever built in Wales and the west of England.

With continued construction progress in 2018, it is scheduled to open in the summer of 2019.

When completed it will provide:

  • Provide 26,000 square metres of floor space.
  • A 1,500 seat auditorium.
  • Accommodate 5,000 conference delegates.
  • A separate exhibition hall providing the largest pillar-free ballroom in Europe, capable of hosting a gala dinner for 2,400 people.
  • Five divisible meeting rooms that will create a further 12 flexible spaces.
  • Breakouts at all levels to outdoor networking spaces.
  • Sate-of-the-art technology with fully integrated audio visual facilities.
  • 2,500 sq mt plaza that will welcome visitors and provide additional networking and exhibition space.
  • 700 underground car parking spaces with direct access to the ICC Wales

M4 Relief Road

Image of proposed bridge crossing the River Usk in Newport as part of the M4 relief road black route

After years of delay we will know next year whether the Welsh Government will finally push ahead with an M4 relief road - and what route it will take.

The public inquiry into the scheme, which is considering a number of options including the Welsh Government's preferred 15 mile of new motorway between Newport and the outskirts of Cardiff - so avoiding the Brynglas Tunnels - is scheduled for completion next spring.

The Welsh Government will make a decision in the summer, with the aim, although subject to change, of work starting later next year.

Wylfa Newydd, Anglesey

Artist impression of Wylfa Newydd

Earlier this month Wylfa Newydd's nuclear reactors received the green light from regulators.

It now paves the way for planning applications for a new nuclear power station in 2018.

Horizon Nuclear Power, a subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd, plan to ask the UK Government for a development consent order to build the Anglesey power station in the first quarter.

Wylfa Newydd is the biggest investment in north Wales for a generation with the project expected to cost around £12bn and bring thousands of new jobs to the region.

If approved the new nuclear power station would open in the mid 2020s.

Caernarfon Waterfront and bypass

The waterfront of Caernarfon is set to be transformed with £15m worth of regeneration cash going into the area. This will create hundreds of construction roles and is then expected to boost tourism visits to the historic town.

The Heritage Lottery has earmarked £3.5m for the Cei Llechi (Slate Quay) project which will transform the area into a hub for craftsmen.

The creation of a new Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway station, expected to cost £2.3m, will pull in thousands more tourists and locals to what is a relatively undeveloped part of Caernarfon.

A £100m bypass scheme is also due to get under way - creating hundreds of construction roles in the area.

New HQ for S4C, Carmarthen

An artist's impression of Yr Egin
An artist's impression of Yr Egin

Work on the £23m Yr Egin digital hub in Carmarthen, which will also serve as the new headquarters for Welsh language channel S4C, is scheduled for completion late next spring.

The project is being built by University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

The identity of other tenants. although the scheme is not yet fully let, will be revealed in the new year.

Wellness and Life Science Village, Llanelli

It is one proposed project involving life sciences working with hospitals
An image of the planned Life Science and Wellbeing Village at Delta Lakes, Llanelli.

2018 should also see more detailed plans emerging for the proposed Wellness and Life Science Village at Delta Lakes in Llanelli.

The proposals include:

  • An Institute of Life Science with laboratory and clinic space and an incubation facility for business start-up, research and development.
  • A Wellness Hub incorporating a new ‘state-of-the-art’ sports and leisure centre.
  • A Community Health Hub offering a range of health and wellbeing services and facilities for education and training.
  • A Wellness Hotel.
  • An Assisted Living Village.

The £200m project is being led by Carmarthenshire County Council is partnership with Hywel Dda and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Boards and Swansea University.

It is seeking a £40m funding contribution from the region's £1.3bn City Deal.

Automotive technology park, Blaenau Gwent

Now that the Circuit of Wales project is not happening in Blaenau Gwent, the Welsh Government will be pushing forward with a 150,000 sq ft automotive technology park on land it owns at Rhyd y Blew.

Work on the first phase is expected start next year, with a 50,000 sq ft development.

Taff Vale, Pontypridd

The development would link the new Taff Vale site with Ynysangharad Park

The regeneration of the centre of Pontypridd will take a significant step forward with the regeneration of its precinct site.

Work will start early in 2018 on the Taff Vale site, which will see a new office led scheme, but will also feature a library/leisure hub.

Housing three buildings the scheme has already confirmed that the Welsh Government's transport body, Transport for Wales, will be a tenant.

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Other public sector and private tenants should be confirmed shortly. The scheme is scheduled for completion in 2019.

South east Wales Metro

The livery of the planned Metro trains for South Wales
The livery of the planned Metro trains for South Wales

We should know which company has been chosen to run the next 15 year Wales & Borders rail franchise, as well as designing and building the next phase of the south east Wales Metro, next March.

The Welsh Government's transport body, Transport for Wales, will then enter into further negotiations with the preferred bidder ahead of seeking to finalise contracts in the summer.

The new franchise will then go live in October. However, it will be a number of years, possibly 2023, before the next phase of the Metro, with electrification of the core Valley Lines, is completed.

But we should know next year what mode of transport will be used on the Valley Lines, with the most likely outcome being tram or light rail.

When factoring in rail operating subsidies for the franchise, and any future new phases of the Metro, the project could be worth £5bn.

On the Valley Lines the Metro will significantly increase the number and frequency of rail services.

Earlier this year it was confirmed - although it hardly came as any surprise - that the UK Government was abandoning electrification of the Great Western Mainline to Swansea.

From Paddington in London, it will now only go as far west as Cardiff. Then the new bi-mode Hitachi trains, which have already been pressed into service on the Great Western Mainline, will switch from electric to diesel power mode.

But electrification could reach Cardiff at the end of 2018, or if not early 2019.

While it would require an investment running into billions of pounds and backing from the UK Government, work on a detailed feasibility study for the proposed Swansea Bay Metro will be carried out next year on behalf of the Welsh Government.

And the Welsh Government will also look to take forward plans for the north east Wales Metro.