The plan was approved in principle after being submitted by Cardiff Council Leader Huw Thomas
A PLAN designed to “re-imagine” Cardiff’s city centre in order to counter the negative financial impact of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has been approved.
Cardiff Council agreed the Cardiff City Recovery Action Plan last week, and the decision means that the first stages of the five-year regeneration plan will be implemented over the coming weeks and months.
Council leader Huw Thomas said of the plan: “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.”
The plan seeks to “reimagine” the city centre, promoting the safety and cleanliness of the area and making it more attractive to visitors. A focus on the culture sector is also promised in the plan, stating that the plan will “embrace the role” cultural hubs play in shaping the city centre.
Other focuses included in the plan includes emphasising the creation of jobs and an increased support of small businesses in Cardiff.
David Morgan, 28, from Fairwater, works at The Borough pub in the city centre, said he thought the plan would go down well.
“We’ve all been through a lot,” he said. “It’s been really hard, this month has been a bit difficult, but Christmas was better. Now we’re opening back up again.
“We really appreciate this proposal from Cardiff Council.”
The plan is the follow-up to Cardiff Council’s May 2021 ‘Greener, Fairer, Stronger City Recovery and Renewal Strategy’ report, and is based on community feedback from Cardiff residents.
It is set to be put into effect alongside Cardiff Council’s ambitious ‘One Planet’ climate strategy, for the city to become carbon neutral by 2030. Both will work in tandem to attempt to reduce emissions by modernising the transport routes in the centre of the capital.
Redeveloping the transport network in Cardiff is closely linked to these environmental targets. In November transport emissions were estimated to be responsible for more than 40% of all total carbon emissions in the city.
The One Planet strategy was ranked the best in Wales on Friday by Climate Emergency UK, and the climate action plan will only be bolstered by the new recovery plan for the city centre.
