Legal & General’s £1bn regeneration project to create space for 13,000 new jobs

Legal & General reaches an important milestone today in its £1bn regeneration project in Cardiff as it opens its new Welsh headquarters. Today, over 2,500 Legal & General employees move into 120,000 sq ft of Grade A office space in Cardiff Central Square.

Legal & General’s investment in Central Square has been a significant driver in Cardiff becoming one of the fastest growing employment hubs in the UK, upon completion, it will create space for 13,000 new jobs.

Construction of Legal & General’s Welsh headquarters, named Calon, Welsh for heart, began in December 2019 with works completing earlier this year. Legal & General’s new workplace “meets the highest standards in sustainable design”.

There is no gas in the building, and it can generate its own electricity from solar panels and air source heat pumps. The office is on track to achieve a BREEAM Outstanding rating and is also targeting Nabers UK 5-star to ensure it remains Net Zero aligned in operations.

Calon is also targeting a WELL Platinum rating, the highest standard in design for wellbeing. With over 3,000 living plants and natural lighting throughout, it has occupants’ wellbeing at its core.

Legal & General’s investment in its new office has benefitted not only employees but the community as well. Over £11m was spent with suppliers in the Cardiff area during the fit out of the office.

Legal & General and its supply chain also delivered over 516 weeks of apprenticeships, 18 weeks of work experience and 332 hours of career support sessions in Cardiff over the course of the build.

Group CEO Sir Nigel Wilson, commented: “The opening of Calon, Legal & General’s new Welsh headquarters in Central Square, demonstrates our ongoing commitment to Cardiff, as an employer and an investor. Since 2019, we’ve grown our team in Wales by a third, to 2,500 employees.

“We invested over £1bn in the city, making Legal & General Cardiff’s largest private investor and one of its biggest private employers. Moving our offices to the heart of our investment in the city is a testament to the role we believe businesses like ours can play in levelling up, and our confidence in the future of Cardiff.”

Group HR Director Emma Hardaker-Jones, added: “Building a more sustainable future is at the heart of what we do; it’s in our DNA and it is one of the reasons people choose to join and stay at L&G. This enables us to impact our customers’ lives and the communities we live in.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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