Consultancy appointed on Swansea digital village

A global engineering consultancy has been appointed by Swansea Council to inform future transformation plans for The Kingsway including 100,000 sq ft of office space for innovative businesses in sectors such as technology, ICT and life science.WSP, which employs about 7,800 workers in the UK who develop creative, comprehensive and sustainable engineering solutions, will refresh the council’s regeneration strategy for The Kingsway and Orchard Street and update its action plan. The business will develop the council’s plan for the former Oceana site to develop a hi-tech Kingsway Employment Hub there.Support will be provided by property and construction consultancy Gleeds, urban design expert the Urbanists, built environment specialist Architecture 00 and commercial property consultancy Cushman & Wakefield.The transformation is being made possible by funding from the council. It is also due to be part-funded by the £1.3bn Swansea Bay City Deal, an investment in 11 major projects across the Swansea Bay City Region and subject to the approval of business cases, with funding from the UK Government, the Welsh Government, the public sector and the private sector.A £12m transformation of the Kingsway pedestrian and traffic areas is currently underway. It will provide a green artery for the city and will help create hundreds of jobs.