Urban HQ officially opens as Swansea’s new creative hub

The former central police station on Orchard Street has been transformed by regeneration specialists Urban Foundry into a vibrant space offering workspaces, private offices, and event venues.

The project, supported by Shared Prosperity Fund investment allocated by Swansea Council, was officially opened at a special event attended by local businesses, community organisations and civic leaders.

From pop‑up to permanent

Urban HQ began life as a pop‑up café through Urban Foundry’s Pop‑Up Wales initiative, which has delivered almost 100 temporary spaces across South Wales. It has now evolved into a permanent home for values‑driven enterprises, with refurbished rooms including The Idris Room, The Courtroom and The Courtyard Garden.

The hub already houses several creative businesses and hosts events ranging from conferences and training sessions to weddings and community activities. Its café, run by a local chef, has quickly become a popular meeting place serving locally sourced food.

‘A place where ideas can grow’

Cllr Rob Stewart, Leader of Swansea Council, who officially opened the venue, praised the project:

“Urban HQ is about creating opportunities for businesses and ideas to grow. It gives people the space and the support they need to develop their businesses, grow their ideas, and make Swansea thrive.”

Naomi Webborn, Head of Marketing at Dawsons Estate Agents, described the space as capturing “everything that makes our city special: collaboration, creativity, and community.”

Swansea‑born singer‑songwriter and Grand Ambition Co‑Director Steve Balsamo added:

“Spaces like this are essential for a creative city like Swansea, with its deep arts and cultural roots.”

Dr Ben Reynolds, Founding Director of Urban Foundry, said the project was the culmination of years of testing and learning through initiatives such as Pop‑Up Wales:

“We’ve shown that meanwhile spaces can become long‑term catalysts for regeneration. Thanks to Swansea Council’s support, we’ve been able to bring a landmark building back to life and create a place where good ideas and good people can grow together.”

Urban HQ is now open for workspace enquiries, café visitors and event bookings.

🔗 Find out more at urbanhq.co.uk

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

New coworking hub opens in Princess Quarter as regeneration reshapes Swansea city centre
A new coworking hub has launched in the Princess Quarter, adding to the wave of regeneration projects reshaping Swansea’s city centre.

Major Swansea office scheme officially opens with further tenant announced
Swansea’s latest office development has officially opened its doors, with a new tenant confirmed as part of the city’s regeneration drive.

Business leader says city’s regeneration shows Swansea is serious about growth
A leading business voice has praised Swansea’s regeneration programme, saying it proves the city is committed to long-term economic growth.

Major Swansea office scheme set for step forward
Plans for a new five-storey office development on the former St David’s Shopping Centre site are moving ahead as part of Copr Bay phase two.

#CllrRobStewart #creativeHub #GrandAmbition #office #officeSpace #OrchardStreet #SharedProsperityFund #SteveBalsamo #Swansea #SwanseaCityCentre #SwanseaRegeneration #UrbanFoundry #UrbanHQSwansea

Swansea celebrates being Wales’ green roof pioneer on World Green Roof Day

Swansea has over 10 green roofs in the city centre alone with many more across the county. They were celebrated at an event on Wednesday (4 June) organised to shine a spotlight on the importance of green roofs.   

Green roofs help by soaking up stormwater to reduce flooding, keeping buildings energy-efficient, cleaning the air, and creating vital homes for urban wildlife. They even extend roof life by up to three times.

Fran Rolfe, Wales Ambassador for World Green Roof Day and Green Infrastructure Specialist for Natural Resources Wales (NRW), said:

“Green roofs aren’t just a trend; they’re part of the future. Swansea is proud to be leading the way in Wales and showing how cities can thrive with nature. Green roofs are a simple yet powerful way to bring nature back into the everyday fabric of urban areas, creating healthier spaces for people and nature to thrive together.”

Rob Stewart, Swansea Council leader, said:

“Swansea’s becoming a greener city, helped by the council’s work tackling the climate crisis and nature emergency – and we were pleased to support this event. We all have a part to play in helping our local environment.”

Urban Foundry, the urban regeneration organisation involved in the project, also emphasised the importance of embedding green infrastructure into the city’s future.

Dr Ben Reynolds, of Urban Foundry, said:

“We’ve been working with Swansea Council and Natural Resources Wales to grow Swansea’s green economy. Since 2021, nearly 100 local people have trained in green roofing with us – gaining the skills and qualifications to build and maintain green infrastructure across the city. Investing in local training means the work stays in the community and has a real, long-term impact.”

NRW say they are helping to drive green infrastructure efforts across Wales by supporting innovative projects that make urban spaces more nature-friendly and resilient to climate change.

The environmental body say the work in Swansea connects with wider green infrastructure programmes happening across the country, including the Green Infrastructure Forum and nature-based solutions being implemented in the heart of Cardiff through the Nature Networks Fund and the Urban Resilient Ecological Network.

NRW say that these efforts aim to make urban spaces more nature-friendly and resilient to climate change.

#AmyDillwynPark #Environment #greenRoof #NaturalResourcesWales #Swansea #SwanseaArena #SwanseaCouncil #UrbanFoundry