The History of the Swansea Marina Bay
The Maritime Quarter is a fine example of a modern and successful urban regeneration.
Since the mid 1970s the historically sensitive conservation areas formerly known as North and South Dock have undergone a major multi-million pound transformation. Spearheaded by its owners, the local council, buildings of key historic importance have been restored and the area sympathetically brought back to life.
The docklands date back through history to industrious 1850s, and contributed greatly to the success of Swansea's native refining industry. With ready access to the vast empire building coal fields of South Wales, it was a logical location for the smelting of copper and the town soon became known throughout the Victorian industrial world as 'Copperopolis'.
But with the eventual arrival of cheaper imported copper, and little industrial diversification at home, combined with massive disruption to world trade caused by the onset of World War I, Swansea's once thriving ports began a rapid decline.
North Dock closed in 1928 and the South Dock followed in 1969.
In the 1970s, thanks to the Council's vision and commitment to a regeneration programme that combined economic, social and environmental benefits, the seeds of today's Maritime Quarter were sown.
Massive infrastructure improvements took place including creating a new sea defence, clearing the dock basins, installing moorings for two marinas, building new locks and a swing bridge, and the completion of a £17million Tawe River Barrage.
The result was an attractive waterside environment, close to the city centre, ripe for new development.