Homes boost for families and city centre workers

The latest openings will come at Market Lofts on the corner of Swansea's Oxford Street and Portland Street, above a former greetings cards shop.

The shop unit itself has been refurbished and is set to reopen this year as a new city centre outlet for a well-known business.

Swansea-based company Oxford Portland acquired the building in recent years and began transformation work last year.

It's expected that the 11 apartments - with one, two and three bedrooms plus French doors and Juliet balconies - will become available to residential tenants by the end of next month.

Oxford Portland directors Peter Loosmore and Kevin Roper - both Swansea-based - hope that the fit-out process on the ground floor commercial unit which has been let will start soon.

At the same time, they're starting work on creating 10 more similar homes next door, in the former Next building now occupied by Shoezone, which is staying.

Both phases of Market Lofts have been supported by Swansea Council via the Welsh Government's Transforming Towns Placemaking scheme.

Mr Loosmore, whose development successes include the residential and commercial King's Building on Kingsway Circle, said: "It's great to see people embracing city centre living in Swansea."

Council leader Rob Stewart said: "The building's exciting new use will breathe fresh life into a pivotal part of the city centre."

Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning, Jayne Bryant, said: "Our Transforming Towns programme is providing invaluable support across Swansea to renovate and give new life to disused buildings in the heart of the city centre."

The new homes at Market Lofts are among scores being created in the city centre by private sector developers for families and workers.

They're part of the city's council-driven £1bn regeneration.

Photo: Council leader Rob Stewart, right, and developer Peter Loosmore.