Although the name Britannia Quay was in use for the area north-west side of the Roath Basin (Nprn 305754) from at least 1982, the modern street, Britannia Quay, was constructed in the mid-1990s as part of wider redevelopment in Cardiff Bay. It runs between Bute Place (NGR ST1951574542) and Harbour Drive (NGR ST1940174362), along the north-west side of the Roath Basin. There is green space with benches and trees as well as a footpath between the road and the basin. Towards the north-east end of the quay is a footbridge across the former Junction Lock between Roath Basin and the former Bute East Dock (34242). At the south-west end of the quay is the former Customs and Excise Office (Nprn 31755) and Britannia Park.
The area had previously been the site of a number of coaling roads and four fixed coal tips which were later replaced by moveable coaling tips. These had been removed by the mid-1940s.

(Sources: O.S. Aerial Photographs NMR MSS 92/038/064 and 94/187/065; Hutton, An Illustrated History of Cardiff Docks, Vol I, (2008), p. 88)

A.N. Coward, RCAHMW, 24.07.2018