Commercial Mortgages Central Square

The Central Square commercial property market

Central Square sits between Cardiff Central station and the River Taff on Wood Street. The Rightacres-led Foster + Partners masterplan ran from 2014 to 2020 and delivered the BBC Cymru Wales HQ at Three Central Square, HMRC's regional hub at 6 Central Square (Ty William Morgan, c. 4,000 staff), the Cardiff University School of Journalism at Two Central Square, plus Hugh James, Blake Morgan and Julian Hodge Bank at One Central Square. Callaghan Square sits adjacent with Ofcom Wales and Cardiff Council, and Brunel House anchors the older fringe stock. The Central Square Phase 4 consent (Ref 23/01892/MJR) covers additional Grade A office and HMRC pre-let extension.

Commercial mortgage flow splits two ways. Office investment refinance on the stabilised Central Square floors routes through Shawbrook, Cynergy Bank, OakNorth, Cambridge & Counties and the four high-street RM teams (NatWest, Lloyds, Barclays, Santander) on the larger flagship stock. Hotel refinance on the station-side Hilton, Park Plaza and Marriott catchment routes through Shawbrook, Cynergy Bank, OakNorth and Hodge Bank (Cardiff-HQ). Development-exit on next-phase Central Square parcels routes through OakNorth, Cambridge & Counties and Shawbrook.

HM Land Registry residential transactions across CF10 cluster in build-to-rent towers around Callaghan Square and Capital Quarter. Used as a market-temperature signal they confirm Central Square continues to absorb professional-occupier residential supply, which underwrites tenant-covenant catchment on the office stock. Land Transaction Tax applies at the commercial rates in Wales on every freehold commercial purchase.

Active commercial property types around Central Square

Lender appetite for Central Square office, hotel and development exit

Office investment via Shawbrook, Cynergy Bank, OakNorth, Cambridge & Counties and the four high-street RM teams (NatWest, Lloyds, Barclays, Santander). Hotels via Shawbrook, Cynergy Bank, OakNorth and Hodge Bank (Cardiff-HQ commercial specialist). Development exit on PC parcels via OakNorth, Cambridge & Counties and Shawbrook on the £2M+ stock. Mid-cap office investment via InterBay Commercial and Allica. Commercial mortgages are unregulated lending and fall outside the FCA's regulated mortgage perimeter, we do not hold FCA authorisation because the products we arrange are unregulated.