The Vale of Glamorgan Council has been working closely with Barry, Penarth, Llantwit Major and Cowbridge Town Councils, along with a range of other stakeholders on new plans for the County’s four towns.
These plans are the result of an extensive programme of engagement and consultation with residents, local businesses, and community representatives, which has helped shape proposals aimed at transforming their communities into vibrant, welcoming and resilient places to live, work, and visit.
While the Vale of Glamorgan Council has supported and facilitated the development of these plans, the initiatives are led by each respective town council to ensure the plans reflect the unique character, priorities and aspirations of each community.The draft plans will now be considered by the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Cabinet after each of the four town councils reviewed them, ensuring final approval is also a collaborative effort.
Cllr Bronwen Brooks, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Sustainable Places, said: “This is about putting our communities first – actively engaging with residents, local businesses and community stakeholders and asking them about their ideas, priorities and hopes for the future.
“Placemaking is about more than bricks and mortar. It’s about creating spaces that people feel proud of – places where you want to spend time, where businesses can grow, and where communities can thrive.
“Through countless conversations, events and surveys in Barry, Penarth, Llantwit Major and Cowbridge, we’ve listened carefully to what matters most to people in each town.
“Over the coming weeks and months, we hope to share more about the plans for each town. The plans break down projects into short, medium, and long-term goals. Some can be put into action straight away, while others are bigger, more complex projects that will take time, additional funding and collaboration from different partners to bring to life.
“At the heart of these plans is a shared ambition – held by everyone who took the time to shape them – to make sure our communities remain vibrant, resilient, and truly people-centred places for generations to come.”
Placemaking is a people-centred approach to planning and design that aims to enhance the quality and identity of places. It involves everything from new developments and infrastructure improvements to cultural activities, events and small-scale community projects that contribute to a sense of place and belonging.
In Wales, placemaking is closely linked to the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act (2015) which calls for sustainable approaches that improve social, economic, environmental, and cultural wellbeing without compromising the needs of future generations.
The plan will from a framework for future council spending, as well as attracting funding from the wider public sector (such as Welsh Government, UK Government or other governmental organisations), as well as attracting third and private sector investment to help realise these plans.
The public and community stakeholder feedback provided a wealth of project ideas and issues to be tackled, and from this a set of projects and interventions was developed for each of the four major towns in the Vale.
