 | |
| Formation | 1987 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 2000 |
| Headquarters | Cardiff |
Official language | English and Welsh |
Chair | Sir Geoffrey Inkin |
Chief executive | Barry Lane Michael Boyce |
TheCardiff Bay Development Corporation was established in 1987 to redevelop the dockland area ofCardiff and to createCardiff Bay.
The corporation was established as part of an initiative by the futureDeputy Prime Minister,Michael Heseltine, in April 1987, during theSecond Thatcher ministry.[1]
TheSecretary of State for Wales,Nicholas Edwards set out the CBDC'smission statement as:
To put Cardiff on the international map as a superlative maritime city which will stand comparison with any such city in the world, thereby enhancing the image and economic well-being of Cardiff andWales as a whole.[2]
The five main aims and objectives were:[3]
Its flagship developments included theCardiff Bay Barrage,[4] theCardiff Bay Retail Park,[5] and theRoald Dahl Plass development.[6] During the CBDC's lifetime 14,000,000 square feet (1,300,000 m2) of non-housing development and 5,780 housing units were built. Around 31,000 new jobs were created and some £1.8 billion of private finance was invested. About 200 acres (81 ha) of derelict land was reclaimed.[7]
The Chairman wasSir Geoffrey Inkin.[8] The first Chief Executive wasBarry Lane,[9] who was later succeeded by Michael Boyce.[8]
The corporation was dissolved on 31 March 2000. TheCardiff Harbour Authority took over the corporation's management of the barrage, the Inland Bay and the Rivers Taff and Ely on 1 April 2000.[10]
An evaluation of the regeneration of Cardiff Bay published in 2004 concluded that the project had "reinforced the competitive position of Cardiff" and "contributed to a massive improvement in the quality of the built environment". However, the regeneration project had been less successful in generating employment. The evaluation concluded that "the overall outcome, while representing a major achievement and massive step forward, falls short of the original vision."[11]