Swansea’s half‑finished Copr Bay car park finally shows progress as scaffolding comes down

The long‑delayed multi‑storey, sitting directly opposite Swansea Arena, is at last showing visible signs of progress after months of frustration. The project was thrown into chaos when the original contractor went into administration, leaving the council with a part‑completed shell and a tangle of legal and contractual hurdles to clear before work could restart.

Scaffolding starts to fall after months of delays

Workers from Andrew Scott Ltd, the Swansea‑based firm brought in to rescue the scheme, remain on site carrying out remedial and finishing works. The council says the car park is now on track for completion by early summer, with all remaining work being delivered at no extra cost to taxpayers.

Council Leader Rob Stewart said seeing the scaffolding come down marked a turning point in one of the most difficult chapters of the Copr Bay development.

Cllr Rob Stewart said:

“It’s been hugely frustrating that we were left with a half‑finished structure when the previous contractor failed. Despite the setbacks, we’ve kept the project moving and are on track to complete the work by the early summer.”

A project stalled by a contractor collapse

The car park was originally being built by Buckingham Group before the company went into administration, halting progress overnight. The collapse left Swansea Council with a half‑finished structure and months of legal and contractual work before a new contractor could be appointed.

Andrew Scott Ltd took over the site in 2024, tasked with completing the remedial work, fire protection, weather‑proofing and external finishes left incomplete by the previous contractor.

Two people walk past the Copr Bay car park as scaffolding is removed and protective sheeting remains in place. (Image: Swansea Council)

Retail units on Cupid Way back on the market

Below the car park, the retail units on Cupid Way — the new pedestrian link between the arena bridge and the city centre — are now being remarketed. Businesses originally lined up for the units are being contacted again to see if they still want to take space, with the council anticipating that some could move in as early as the spring.

A key piece of the Copr Bay district

The car park is one of the final unfinished elements of Copr Bay Phase One, which includes the arena, the yellow bridge over Oystermouth Road, Amy Dillwyn Park and new apartments and commercial units.

Once the new car park opens, the ageing St David’s multi‑storey is expected to be demolished as part of the wider regeneration of the area.

Cllr Stewart said completing the structure would help bring “more activity and life” to the district and support local businesses as the area continues to grow.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Council says incomplete Copr Bay car park to open by end of year
Earlier assurances from the council that the unfinished structure would still open on schedule.

Council appoints new Copr Bay contractor
Andrew Scott Ltd confirmed as the firm brought in to rescue the stalled project.

Council holding talks with new contractors after Buckingham goes into administration
The scramble to find a replacement builder after the original contractor collapsed.

Construction company behind Swansea’s new arena goes into administration
Buckingham Group’s collapse sent shockwaves through major UK projects, including Copr Bay.

Key workers start to move into Swansea’s affordable Copr Bay apartments
Progress elsewhere in the district as new residents moved into the development’s housing.

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Window on the City

From the car park on North Main Street, Cork, you can Bruce College and St Mary’s Dominican Priory. I liked how the stark lifeless concrete frame of the multi-story car park contrasted with the variety of materials and colours in the world outside.

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Llanelli faces twin loss as council moves to demolish market and multi-storey car park

Llanelli’s covered market and its only multi-storey car park — housed in the same building — look set to be permanently dismantled, as Carmarthenshire County Council pushes forward with plans to relocate the market and demolish the decades-old structure beneath which it operates.

The complex has long served as a landmark in the town centre, with traders occupying the ground floor and over 500 parking spaces stacked above. But now, officials say the building is approaching the end of its structural life, prompting an urgent search for a new home for the market.

At an initial engagement meeting held on Tuesday 22 July, traders were presented with four relocation options — the most likely being a move to the former Woolworths building at 8–12 Vaughan Street, using money from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. That option hinges on securing £3,664m² of redeveloped commercial space by Spring 2028 — and requires a pre-planning application within weeks.

Llanelli Market

“Tight timescales” — but no closure

Council officials say the market will not close, and that engineers continue to monitor the building’s safety through monthly inspections and repairs. However, the future of Llanelli Market as a physical destination is now entwined with the timetable of external funding.

Cllr Hazel Evans, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said:

“We’re faced with tight timescales to secure the money and ensure this option remains on the table. This is the beginning of a journey with our traders — their input is integral to how we design a new home for Llanelli Market.”

Submitting a pre-planning application now keeps the Woolworths option alive — even if it’s later withdrawn — but any delay risks forfeiting the funding altogether.

Car park closure will displace hundreds of long-stay bays

The 56-year-old multi-storey, built in 1969, contains 527 spaces, mostly long-stay. Average daily usage hovers at 224 tickets — but actual occupancy rates are lower. Once demolished, the council says displaced vehicles can be absorbed across other town centre car parks, with plans to adjust short-stay allocations where needed.

Critics warn that losing the multi-storey removes a major draw for shoppers and visitors, at a time when Llanelli’s retail core has already been hollowed out by out-of-town developments like Parc Trostre and Parc Pemberton.

Two-storey market concerns

If relocated to Vaughan Street, the market could span two floors, raising questions about accessibility and shopper appeal. The council insists successful examples exist elsewhere — and says architects will work with traders to shape the design.

Still, some stallholders and residents say the priority should be keeping the market central, accessible and visible. Others fear that the combined impact of losing the market building and the car park above will push the town centre further into decline.

Carmarthenshire Council says no final decisions have been made — and that all options remain on the table. But with structural concerns mounting and deadlines looming, Llanelli’s market traders may soon be forced to pack up and move, whether they’re ready or not.

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