Cardiff docks set for £17m sauna and pool transformation

Finnish leisure developer Nordic Urban has unveiled plans for a £17m outdoor bathing and sauna complex in Cardiff. The proposed Allas Cardiff scheme aims to transform the grade II-listed Mount Stuart Graving Docks into a year-round wellbeing destination.

The 2,000sq m project would feature a 25m heated outdoor pool, hot and cold pools, four saunas, relaxation spaces, a restaurant, and a cafe. The development intends to bring the late 19th-century docks back into public use for the first time since they ceased shipping operations in 2001.

Nordic Urban plans to replicate its successful Helsinki model, which attracts approximately 800,000 visitors annually, across the UK and Ireland. A formal planning application is expected to be submitted to the local council next month.