Cardiff city centre

Cardiff Council unveil plan to revitalise city centre post Covid-19

A five-year plan to reimagine and revitalise Cardiff city centre in a post Covid-19 pandemic world has been published by Cardiff Council.

The plan, which is designed to bring partner groups and stakeholders together from across the city to help realise the vision, will focus on nine key themes:

1. A fully curated (managed) city centre which is clean, safe, green and attractive to all.

2. A dynamic business and employment hub delivering more job opportunities.

3. A city centre which lies at the heart of a fully integrated transport network.

4. A green and biodiverse city centre.

5. A centre which contains excellent urban design and public realm.

6. A ‘blue city centre' which makes use of its rivers and canals.

7. A vibrant centre to live, work and play in.

8. A centre focussed on great cultural offerings.

9. A city centre which offers a quality experience to visitors.

Commenting, Leader of Cardiff Council, Councillor Huw Thomas said:

"The Covid-19 pandemic had an extraordinary impact on city centres across the UK and indeed the world, it changed the ways we live our lives and do business.

“The shift to homeworking and the acceleration and use of online purchase has hit the retail sector in city centres.

“In many ways it has forced us to consider those longer-term trends, which were already coming down the track, but have now been accelerated because of the pandemic.

"However, far from these trends sounding the death knell for city centres, we feel they offer exciting opportunities to evolve.

“Cardiff's city centre supports 70,000 jobs and is critical to the local, regional and national economy.

“These are some of the reasons why we are embarking on a journey to look at ways in which we can revitalise Cardiff city centre in a post-pandemic world.

“We want a city centre that continues to be safe, clean, green, attractive and well maintained, but we also want it to become greener and even more welcoming.

“A city centre that offers visitors, and people who live here, great experiences in high-quality settings and a city centre which creates new job opportunities.

"Of course, Cardiff has already been on a process of successful change over the past 25 years.

“Our city centre has seen transformational improvements from major leisure, retail and business developments, such as the Principality Stadium to St David's Dewi Sant and the regeneration of Central Square, through to increased pedestrianisation of its streets making the city more inclusive and accessible.

“But as the city emerges from the pandemic, it is essential that we consider the steps we need to take to accelerate recovery.

“Our aim now is to build upon the city's existing achievements, to create a vibrant destination, part of a great capital city which works for all residents, businesses and visitors."

The action plan outlines the key initiatives and programmes that the authority and partners will work towards over the next five years to ensure Cardiff has a vibrant city centre.

It was drawn up following a series of public consultations on the council's Greener Fairer Stronger report, which was published last year.

A series of engagement events took place from June to October 2021, including several child-friendly events to gather the opinions of young people alongside those of residents, businesses, the cultural sector and other stakeholders.

A survey also produced over a thousand responses, which was used to help prepare the five-year plan.

Councillor Thomas added:

"In the future, the most successful cities will have great city centres.

“This action plan outlines key initiatives and programmes that the council and partners will work towards over the next five years to ensure Cardiff has a great city centre.

“Cardiff has a strong tradition of working in partnership with private, voluntary and other public sector organisations and the initiatives/programmes will need the continuing active participation and collective buy in of all city centre users to achieve the highest standards in sustainable design, development, management, maintenance and marketing.

“This plan we hope will make a great and vibrant city centre even greater."

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