CARDIFF COUNCIL CYNGOR CAERDYDD EXECUTIVE BUSINESS MEETING: 11 SEPTEMBER 2007 CITY CENTRE STRATEGY 2007 - 2010 REPORT OF CORPORATE DIRECTOR AGENDA ITEM: 9 PORTFOLIO : ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORT Reason for this Report 1. This report seeks the Executive’s approval of the City Centre Strategy 2007 – 2010. The Final Draft City Centre Strategy is included as Appendix One to this report. Background 2. In line with the Cardiff Corporate Plan (2007-2010), the Council has taken action to prepare an up-to-date Strategy for the City Centre covering the period 2007-2010. The document provides a framework for the future growth and development of the city centre to help Cardiff reach its full potential as the capital city of Wales. 3. The Draft Strategy is the third revision since the first City Centre Strategy was produced covering the period 1997-2001. 4. To date, the review process involved a short Scrutiny Study by Economic Scrutiny Committee, followed by consultation with internal Service Areas in order to establish the headline issues to be addressed in a draft version of the Strategy. 5. A stakeholder event for the draft took place at the Old Library at the Hayes on the 5 April which also marked the launch of the public consultation. The consultation ran until the 31 May 2007. 6. A number of consultation media were employed to ensure that the Strategy was made available to all, particularly hard to reach groups such as young people, local residents and the elderly. Examples of the techniques used include:- • Focus Groups, facilitated by the Research and Community Engagement Unit • Dedicated Web links and e-mail address for the Strategy • Bi-lingual publications, posters and consultation media • Permanent display in the Central Library Page 1 of 3 • Press releases and articles in local newspapers • Targeted consultation with specific user groups. Issues 7. Over 180 responses have been submitted from a number of organisations, interest groups and local residents. These comments have been considered and have informed the preparation of the final draft Strategy. The areas generating most responses were:- • The removal of private cars from St. Mary Street / High Street (both for and against) • Public transport improvements • Improved housing and community facilities • Central Square redevelopment • Environmental quality and management • Promoting and enhancing Cardiff Castle • The format and content of the Strategy. 8. A summary of the responses received is attached as Appendix Two. 9. In addition, the Cardiff Research Centre was commissioned to facilitate two public workshops. One workshop included city centre residents and the other was made up of city centre users and stakeholders. Both workshops included a broad range of people by gender, age and social background. The report of the two workshops is included as a Background Paper. Local Member Consultation 10. Members for Adamsdown, Butetown, Cathays, Grangetown, Plasnewydd, and Riverside have been consulted on the Final Draft Strategy. Reasons for Recommendations 11. Executive approval of the City Centre Strategy will provide the framework for co-ordinating and consolidating the Council’s vision for the City Centre. Legal Implications 12. As stated in the body of the Strategy, it is complementary to the preparation of the Local Development Plan and Supplementary Planning Guidance, but will be used as a material consideration in regard to relevant planning applications Financial Implications 13 Approving the Strategy will have no direct financial implications. Page 2 of 3 RECOMMENDATION The Executive is recommended to approve the Cardiff City Centre Strategy 2007 – 2010. EMYR EVANS Corporate Director 3 September 2007 The following Appendices are attached:- Appendix One: Final Draft City Centre Strategy 2007 - 2010 Appendix Two: Consultation Summary The following Background Papers have been taken into account:- (1) City Centre Strategy: Focus Group Summary Report (2) City Centre Strategy: Consultation Reponses Page 3 of 3 APPENDIX ONE City Centre Strategy 2007 – 2010 www.cardiff.gov.uk/ccs City Centre Strategy 2007 – 2010 Contents Foreword 2 Introduction 4 The Vision for the City Centre 4 The Role of the City Centre Strategy 8 Context 9 Supporting Documentation 9 Delivery 10 Strategic Themes 11 Access and Movement 12 Housing and Community 14 Employment and Training 16 Heritage and Culture 18 Leisure and Tourism 20 Retailing 22 Urban Design and the Public Realm 24 Environmental Management 26 Strategy Areas 28 Cathays Park 30 Central Core 32 Stadium 34 Fringe 36 Butetown area 38 Waterfront 40 List of Abbreviations 43 1 Foreword I am pleased to introduce this latest version of the Cardiff City Centre Strategy which covers the period from 2007 to 2010. This Strategy has been prepared, following public consultation, and we are seeking your full involvement in both helping to set the vision for our proud capital city and in identifying how these shared aspirations can be achieved. Cardiff has a strong tradition of working in partnership with the private, voluntary and other public sector agencies in a spirit of collaboration, helping to make our shared goals a reality. The document is intended to provide a framework for the future growth and development of the city centre to help Cardiff reach its full potential as the capital city of Wales. The Strategy does not seek to replicate existing work, but rather to bring about improvements in the way the city operates both now and in the future. By bringing together the range of city centre activities into a single framework we can see how individual actions contribute towards the strategic vision for a sustainable, attractive, vibrant and hard-working city of truly international significance. The city centre has seen a major transformation over recent years, and there are many successes to celebrate together. The development of Cardiff Bay as both a leisure destination and a focus for modern offices and housing is just the beginning. There is still much work ahead; improvements in transport infrastructure, integrating city centre communities and upgrading the quality of the city centre environment are all challenges that we do not take lightly. The St. David’s 2 redevelopment will re-shape the city centre, bringing improved shopping facilities, new jobs and investment to the city and the region, and we all need to recognise the opportunities and challenges that this will afford. Delivering the vision set out in this Strategy will require strong civic leadership and the active participation of all city centre users. I am calling upon the people of Cardiff, our many visitors and all our partners to join us in ensuring that the city continues to build upon its recent achievements. It is only through your views, actions and commitment that this Strategy can make a real difference both now and in the future. Cllr Elgan Morgan Executive Member, Environment and Transport 2 City Centre Strategy 2007 – 2010 Strategy Area 3 Introduction The Vision for the City Centre Cardiff, as the Capital of Wales and the seat of Welsh Government, has a vital role at the head of the regional hierarchy for commerce, employment, shopping, leisure, culture and social activities. The city centre is the focus of much of this activity and its ongoing regeneration has brought a high public profile on an international stage. The quality and sustainability of its continuing development is now vital in achieving further success and in raising the profile of the city and Wales as a whole. The City Centre Strategy covers an enlarged area from the civic centre in the north to the Cardiff Bay barrage in the south, reflecting the significant changes and development in the recent past. The Bay is now well established as a vibrant, successful and internationally recognisable waterfront environment, home to the Senedd, the Millennium Centre and a wide range of commercial and cultural facilities. The established city centre has also seen significant change; the Millennium Stadium is a world class venue for sporting and leisure events and the thriving shopping area is continuing to attract major new investment. Many people now live in the city centre, and the significantly increased residential population has brought with it a range of new benefits and challenges. These changes continue to extend and enhance Cardiff’s noteworthy historic, cultural, academic and commercial assets. The rapid pace of development in the City Centre Strategy area is set to continue. The Council’s Corporate Plan sets out aspirations to redevelop and improve Central Square, to address pedestrian and vehicular conflict in St Mary Street and to continue the redevelopment of Cardiff Bay at the southern section of Roath Basin. Priority is being given to secure improved quality conference and exhibition facilities and to identify options for encouraging the creative industries. The completion of major schemes including the St David’s 2 mixed-use development and the International Sports Village will completely transform shopping and leisure opportunities, improving the quality of the townscape befitting a city of international significance. The regeneration of Dumballs Road, improvements to Cardiff Castle and the Heritage Lottery funded improvement programme for Bute Park will bring further change and opportunity. Major investments are key to the ongoing commercial success of the city centre, and the Council welcomes proposals from the National Assembly, property and investment companies, the universities, museums, national sporting organisations and many others. Together, these major development proposals and aspirations are delivering the Council’s vision for the city centre and its extension to the Bay. However, these actions cannot be delivered successfully in isolation. The City Centre Strategy will seek to ensure that these and future actions are delivered in a way which brings maximum benefit to the people of Cardiff, and that they fit in effectively, efficiently and sustainably with the other strategies, projects, plans and initiatives for the area.