PREFACE

Shortly after the establishment of the Cardiff Bay Development Corporation (CBDC) and the appointment of the Board in April 1987, it was decided that the regeneration of Cardiff Bay should be undertaken against a far sighted strategy, prepared after much research, consultation and thought, rather than solely against the imperative of the market. Despite the fact that much of the area is at present, seriously run down, Cardiff Bay is potentially a superb site for development; the Board therefore considered that it was vital to achieve regeneration of a high standard consistent with the splendid design and quality of the rest of the City of Cardiff and of the nearby coastal town of Penarth. It was recognised from the outset that this would create some delay, and thus frustration amongst potential developers, and more importantly, the local community, for whom there has been uncertainty: given the need for a properly conceived strategy, this was inevitable.

Llewelyn-Davies Planning, the appointed Consultants, have produce a thorough and most imaginative strategy for the regeneration of Cardiff Bay, a large and most complex area of diverse landscape, ground conditions, employment and communities. It must be emphasised that this is not a Master Plan, similar to those proposed in the past for 'greenfield' sites of New Towns. The Regeneration of the area involves a process, not a plan: the strategy gives a vision for the future, is balanced in relation to the Secretary of State's objectives and the potential for development- and, while robust in structures, is above all flexible. It will be reviewed by the Corporation annually, as part of corporate planning; to take account of the public and private sector resources available, the changing requirements, and new opportunities that come forward.

Throughout the Strategy Report there is a continuous thread of reference to the need of the present community with the Bay: be it housing, employment, social support or leisure facilities. The Corporation is firmly committed to the important principle that regeneration of the Bay area must be achieved by a wide mix of developments in parallel with realistic and durable enhancement of the community itself.

 

 

FOREWORD

From Chairman Geoffrey D Hinkin

 

One of the earliest decisions of the Cardiff Bay Development Corporation Board was to initiate a Regeneration Strategy, which would provide a practical but flexible guide for the redevelopment of the Bay. The Corporation was determined to obtain the highest quality advice in the preparation of the Strategy. An International competition followed. This resulted in:

- A high-profile exposition of the prospects presented by the Bay;

- Generation of international and national interest;

- The production of an extensive range of ideas and illustrations of development potential;

- The appointment of Llewelyn-Davies Planning to prepare the Regeneration Strategy, who led a highly qualified and professionally broad based team working closely with the Corporation.

Extensive consolations took place with the Welsh Office, the Local Authorities, Statutory Undertakers, business interests and communities in the preparation of this strategy. A consultative process on the published Strategy continues.

As a result of this approach we have a Strategy of the highest quality and more importantly, one which I trust enjoys widespread popular support and commitment.

The Summary of the Brochure provides an introduction to our intentions. Those who wish to pursue the many and varied opportunities available in the Bay area can explore the prospects in greater detail in discussion with the Executive Team of the Corporation. I do hope they will.

13 June 1988

 

 

 INTRODUCTION

The Bay area is a distinctive and special part of Cardiff and has played a major role in the industrial and maritime history of Wales. Once one of the greatest ports in the world, past enterprise now provides an outstanding site for a venture of national importance.



Adjoining the city centre, the bay and its environs are huge in scale and dramatic in their varied form. Dockland, bay and the adjacent moors cover some 2700 acres (1129 ha) and provide one of the largest and finest urban development sites in Europe around the lake to be formed by the Barrage. This is a unique opportunity for Cardiff and for Wales. Large scale developments of employment, housing and leisure facilities and major improvements to the environment can and should be set in motion.

The Regeneration Strategy summarised in this report provides a basis for the full potential of the area to be realised, step by step over time, for the benefit of local communities, enterprises and new residents, workers and visitors.

 

 

OBJECTIVES

The prime objective of CBDC is 'to establish Cardiff internationally as a superlative maritime city which will stand comparison with any similar city in the world, enhancing the image and economic well being of Cardiff and of Wales as a whole'.

The Regeneration Strategy is designed to provide a basis for the achievement of this objective. CBDC is to fulfil a leading role in changing the geography of the city as totally and dramatically as the 2nd Marquess of Bute did in the original development of Docklands.

Around the massive lake created by the barrage, a dynamic new waterfront city is planned to transform utterly an area of dereliction, wasteland and low order uses. The site is of great scale and quality and offers the city the potential of generating new forms and levels of development in economic, housing, cultural, leisure and tourism terms. The strategy involves harnessing this potential to the benefit of the city and in particular to create a magnet for investment in Wales as a whole.

The Strategy is comprised of many policies and proposals designed to perform in a cohesive and integrated manner provide a framework for the achievement of the objective of CBDC. These are:-

a) Promote development which provides a superb environment in which people will want to live, work and play

b) Achieve the highest standard of design and quality in all types of investment.

c) Re-unite the city centre of Cardiff with its waterfront.

d) Bring forward a mix of development which will create a wide range of job opportunities and will reflect the hopes and aspirations of the communities in the area.

e) Stimulate residential development which provides houses for a cross section of the population.

f) Establish the area as a recognised centre of excellence and innovation in the field of urban regeneration.

g) Substantial progress is expected within ten years and the maximum leverage on private sector investment is a prime requirement.

 

 

THE ROLE OF THE BAY IN CARDIFF AND WALES

The Need for Change

Cardiff's function and needs are changing, and the response to these changes has already begun. The City has to find new roles and exploit new opportunities. Cardiff has been described as:-

• 'Capital City Seat of Government and Learning;

• 'Financial Centre of the Principality'

• 'Media City'

• 'Gateway to Wales'

• 'Gateway to the M4 corridor.

  All of these dimensions must all be exploited to the full so that Cardiff may aspire to be one of the great national cities of Europe. Cardiff is a special place and must use its characteristics to produce a totally new image and market for its future development, concentrated upon the Bay area.

  Geographical Advantages

  The road and rail linkages between Cardiff and the rest of Britain are excellent. The M4 now stretches all the way from London to the heart of Wales, linking Cardiff with the boom areas of Reading, Swindon and Bristol. Recent investment in new local roads, creating motorway/dual carriageway links to the City Centre, have ensured easy access to the M4 and M5 motorways with both London and Birmingham about two and a half hour's drive away New opportunities will also be created with the creation of a second bridge across the River Severn. The completion of the Peripheral Distributor Road (PDR) will provide a southern link road around Cardiff and into the Bay area in particular.

  Fast rail services are also provided by the Inter-City service between Cardiff and London with special links to Heathrow airport. Cardiff also has its own airport situated 12 miles outside the City Centre serving both domestic and European destination

  Population

  The City has a large catchment area. Figures based on the 1981 Census of Population estimates that approximately 1.8 million people live within an hour's drive of Cardiff, 45 million within 2 hours, 16 million within 3 hours. Cardiff itself has a population of approximately 280,000, acts as an employment centre for a much wider area and is a dominant force in the Welsh economy.

  Between 1811 and 1851 the population of Cardiff rose from 2,457 to18,351.

  The detailed figures are:-

  1801 1,870 (Cardiff was a country town the size of the the market town of Cowbridge)

  1811 2,457 + 587

  1821 3,579 +1,122

  1841 10,007 + 6,428 (3,214 per decade)

  1851 18,351 +8,344

  Up until 1821 Cardiff was not exceptional in its growth

  In fact it had slipped from 25th to 27th in size among all Welsh towns

  Cardiff's Central Importance

  Cardiff, being the Capital city of Wales, has developed as the administrative, financial and commercial centre of Wales. It is also a government centre with the Welsh Office, Welsh Tourist Board, Welsh Development Agency and Land Authority for Wales within its boundaries. The City Council, Mid Glamorgan and South Glamorgan County Councils all have offices here. Cardiff is also developing its reputation as a 'Media City' and is already home to several TV broadcasting companies, two local radio stations and over 200 media companies.

  Cardiff is the major cultural and tourist centre of the region. It is the home of the Welsh National Opera and BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra. It also boasts a castle, cathedral, numerous museums, an important retail centre and St. Davids Hall - a major concert and conference venue. The City acts as a 'Gateway to Wales', a departure point to scenic Wales - the coastal scenery of West Wales and Brecon Beacons in the north.

  Space

  The Bay offers the physical elbow-room for Cardiff's transition and for it to build on its inherent opportunities and linkages. It is big enough, varied enough and close enough to the City Centre to make possible quite dramatic investment, design and development responses. The structure of the Bay area and its links to the city and the region need to be made clear. Development of Cardiff Bay must be in conjunction with the City, especially in relation to theCity Centre so they can complement, not compete, with each other. The Bay area can unite the city with the waterfront and create a superb environment in which to live, work and play.

  The wide context

  The Bay area has to be developed in a wide context. This involves working together with the business community, local authorities, development agencies and academic institutions.

  In a national and regional context Cardiff requires continued expansion in its growth and confidence. It is here that the Development Corporation can fulfill a very special role in the future of the local and regional economies.

  The City Context

  The concept of the Barrage, the Bay and the 'superlative maritime city' is a high profile-high cost strategy involving a series of strategic infrastructural and flagship investments to restructure aspects in the economic base of the city region, resulting in a major growth centre.

  Opportunities and Assets

  The regeneration of Cardiff Bay offers the city, its region and the nation a totally new series of opportunities and assets. Taken together, and working together, this can generaate a development of sturctural and historical significance to the city and of greate benefit to the economy and peple of Wales.

 

 THE STRATEGY IN OUTLINE

The proposed strategy for regeneration set out in this report is designed to provide several provisions

- a vision of a new future for Cardiff Bay

- a clear structure for organising development and responding to opportunities

- an overall urban design concept creating a sense of place, superb development sites and an attractive environment blending the best of the old and new in a unique landscape setting

- a marketing image for attracting investment locally and internationally in new activities and new life styles, and

- a stimulus to providing jobs, houses, leisure and a better environment for local people and new residents.

The Strategy is comprised of ideas about the development potential, character and form of each part of the Bay, the necessary economic, social and planning policies, the urban design, landscape, conservation, access and servicing requirements, and approaches to phasing, investment and implementation. It is enabling in philosophy rather than prescriptive, seeing CBDC as the essential catalyst, an agency designed to harness the skills, resources and commitment of the private and public sector and the community to the many tasks.

Regeneration involves a process, not a plan. The Strategy is designed to be balanced in relation to the objectives and the development potential, robust in its overall structure, yet flexible. Changes in resources availability perceived needs and new opportunities will demand its re-interpretation and regular review and updating.

The Strategy' identifies the main possible uses, development, rehabilitation and conservation opportunities, the proposed landscape and waterscape setting, and the supporting transportation and infrastructure systems.

An overall urban design concept is illustrated which will create a sense of place, superb development sites and an attractive environment, blending the best of the old and the new in a strong and varied landscape setting. The framework is comprised of four over-lapping structural elements designed to work in unison - sites, landscape, water and infrastructure.

The policy guidelines cover such matters as the generation of new economic potential, employment and housing, improving living conditions of local people, stimulating demand and commitment, creating new markets, involving the communities as partners in the regeneration process, and working in concert with the local authorities.

The Strategy benefits from the advanced construction and planning of the Peripheral Distributor Road (PDR). This runs in an arc from east to west across the area, and provides the essential spine for development, making the Bay an analogue of the City - a mix of sites for housing, industry commerce and leisure, with a strong urban core linked to the City Centre, and major suburban and peripheral developments to the east and west.

The Bay is a vital and important part of the city. There are about 5000 residents and nearly 1000 enterprises employing 15,000 people. There is much of conservation importance, and in contrast and above all, serious problems of unemployment and deprivation. The Strategy is designed to address these issues, as much as new development, seeking to provide a framework within which the twin strands of economic expansion and social concern can work together to the benefit of each.

In all, the proposed strategy is balanced, robust yet flexible, and provides the basis for guiding the regeneration process.

The major features include:_

- A series of major projects around the bay inner harbour, barrage and docks;

- A major urban development complex in the Core, a 'New Town' comprised of a ladder of projects and movement between the bay and the City Centre, with a number of key schemes to allow the emergence of a new linear centre - Bay-Butetown-City Centre Civic Centre;

- Linkages in terms of development, landscaping and infrastructure to bring Penarth (especially the Esplanade), East Moors, the Tremorfa coastline, and Pengam Moors both into the overall scheme and back into the existing communities;

- An 'eastern gateway' mixed used development on the Rhymney Estuary served by a new main parkway southern route to the City Centre from the East;

- The creation of a huge parkland covering the area as a whole, using water as a recurrent feature, and creating new leisure, habitat, and visual environment of varied form and character;

- An overall urban design concept of vision and strength has been produced and illustrated. This brings all the elements together into a cohesive demonstration of the design intentions.

Within this framework, many new activities and life styles can be developed and special events undertaken. Sites are indicated for such varied uses as harbours and marinas, shopping centres, commercial offices, new schools and hospitals, industrial and high-tech estates, tourist attractions, cultural uses, and above all, local enterprise and housing- both at a level affordable to local people and of a quality to attract new residents

.

PHASING AND EXPENDITURE

The Strategy has been built up in incremental phases starting with a critical mass of extensive mixed urban development in the Core. Industrial and housing development can also proceed in the near future on East Moors and a number of available smaller sites, particularly in the west of the area.

Large areas should then be brought into line at Pengam Moors and Roath Basin, together with a series of sites in Butetown, the Inner Harbour and the City Centre fringes.

On completion of the Barrage, the Peninsula and the main Inner Harbour sites will come on line, followed afterwards by the Penarth Promenade, Alexandra Head and the remaining areas to the east and west.

Throughout the process, housing and industrial improvement projects, social services, and community development, landscaping and environmental improvement work will be taking place. Within 10 years, it is expected that the main infrastructure and site preparation will be well advanced or complete together with a series of high quality projects. Development will be well underway throughout the area.

It will be an annual task to review the sequence and phasing of proposals in the light of changing circumstances: the pace of land acquisition and preparation; the level of public funding both for the Corporation and of local authorities and other public bodies; the level of commitment by the private sector. Furthermore, the timely start and completion of the two critical infra-structure works - the PDR and the Barrage - will obviously have an impact upon development proposals, and thus upon phasing. The Strategy proposed, broadly in line with the phasing, is viable within the overall funding likely to be available within the life of the Corporation. In conclusion, the process of regeneration of an area as large and derelict as the Bay will take many years - not least if the results are to be of a quality that befits a Capital City.

It is planned that the majority of the CBDC net expenditure of between £200-250 million will be completed within 10-12 years. There will of course be further public expenditure in the Bay area in projects by other authorities and agencies. The private sector development costs are likely to be of the order of £1000-1200 million, giving a public to private leverage ratio of at least 1:4 and hopefully more.

The development mix proposed is likely to produce in the order of 6000 new dwellings and 30,000 jobs or more, in manufacturing and service industry modern businesses, offices, retail, leisure and recreation. In addition, there will be a growth in public sector employment (health, education, transport, utilities, social services etc), and in the long term construction programme, and these will have multiplier effects in the local economy.

 

IMPLEMENTATION

The Strategy has two major thrusts working together major new developments in many fields - housing, industry commerce, tourism and leisure; and, the conservation and improvement of existing housing, industry and the environment. These provide a context for achieving a harmony between the old and the new, the large scale and the low key economic growth and social concern, and bringing the many agencies and people together in the regeneration process.

The philosophy of partnership imbues all aspects of the Strategy - a partnership of the private and public sector and the communities, national bodies, local authorities, development agencies, academic and funding Institutions, each of which has a major role to play.

CBDC's role in implementation is to provide co-ordination and to ensure the availability of serviced development land, and high quality environmental and flagship projects. It is essential to inspire high levels of confidence, commitment and to generate the development momentum.

Attention now needs to move on to the planning, production and marketing of the key early sites. This will involve a vigorous national and international marketing programme. In parallel, very positive signals need to be sent out to the local community and the development industry about what is intended, the ground rules, programme and quality objectives.

Regeneration will be a long job of massive complexity. The Strategy is a series of guidelines which now need to be harnessed to other areas of activity- marketing, land assembly detailed site, and infrastructure planning, corporate planning, funding and programme management for example.

The Strategy has been designed to allow a wide ranging development programme, capable of flexible interpretation and adaptable to changing resources, opportunities and demands. It is economically viable, and achievable by a mix of investment which can be varied over time. There will be opportunities for innovative funding and management arrangements and for the City to be seen at the leading edge of inner city regeneration.

In all CBDC has to provide the leadership and direction to produce a catalytic response from its many partners in the rgeneration process leading to the achievement of the vision of the 'superlative maritime city'.

 

 THE BARRAGE

The barrage will produce a lake of over 200 hectares and more than 12 kilometres of waterfront with superb developmental sites. This provides a central unifying focus for the project, and will give the Bay its indivudal character, international standing and special marketing edge.

The preliminary architectural design of the Barrage is a linear park in its own right, allowing a whole range of active and passive leisure pursuits, and retention of views outward to the sea.

Compensatory environmental measures are proposed freshwater, landward, and new marine mudflats habitat areas - for the loss of the important SSSI in the Bay. A more varied final environment is planned to emerge. The need to achieve, maintain and manage the water to acceptable standards in line with the policies of CBDC, WWA, SGCC and the other public and statutory authorities involved is stressed.

 

THE BAY

An overall design for the Bay is proposed. A setting of the highest landscape and waterscape quality is to be created through many waterside uses, landmark schemes and varied edge treatments. Sites are defined for housing, leisure, commerce yacht clubs, marinas and moorings. Land reclamation areas and the shaping of the Bay are proposed on Penarth Flats, the Butetown Saltings and along the ely to create more land, better frontage, identity ofplace and landscape form. Sailing courses, areas for commercial fishing, angling, water sports and recreation, freshwater habitat areas and waterside parks are also proposed.

A new waterside City will thus develop in a unity of space around the Bay: Gateway projects will mark the river mouths, the Taff Crossing, and the entrance to the Inner Harbour - the symbolic focus of the regeneration effort, a pincer with two arms spreading out from the Pierhead.

The first arm encloses the Graving Docks and the potential sites beyond; the second sweeps round the bayside edges of Roath Basin. Shopping, cultural, leisure and tourism are mixed with housing and commerce to create an intense ring of urban form and activity around the water.

 

THE WEST

The delightful Edwardian resort character of Penarth should be ljoined to the scheme by a promenade extension of the Esplanade along the shore to the Barrage. At Penarth Head, the Custom House and Marrine building, a new Marina, and coastal harbour village can be joined together to create a distinct and special place to live and play.

Along the banks of the River Ely waterside housing and leisure are proposed; the smaller sites behind the Docks and below Cogan and Llandough being suitable for industry.

A great sweep of development on 'the Peninsula' will run round the western side of the Bay containing a wide range of uses and landmark sites - leisure, housing and commerce- along the shore, river, canals and marinas. This could provide the location of an International Maritime Park. North of the PDR, 'Moorland Park' will be developed once existing tipping is complete. A new Business Park is proposed to the west of Ferry Road.

At the mouth of the Taff a mixed use waterside development 'Bridgetown' is proposed close to the Taff Bridge, together with housing area improvements and the retention of the Marl for public use and its extension for water related leisure.

 

THE EAST

The gateway to the Bay area from the East will see a series of projects served off three junctions on the PDR. This road provides an exciting new coastal route to the City via the Bay with superb views out over the Bristol Channel.

Close to the Rhymney, 'Pengam Park' is proposed for mixed housing, business and leisure uses, and possibly a new major hospital. 'Corniche' is a linear coastal site alongside the PDR defined by a major landscape mound between the shore and Tremorfa Works. 'Freeport' is reserved at present, but would be available if an appropriate development opportunity arise.

The operational rail and industrial areas will be consolidated and cleaned-up. New industrial estates will be developed between Tremorfa Works and the 'East Moors Business Park' The business park is seen as having a mix of high quality industrial and business uses with some housing and open space within a landscaped park setting.

There is a need for considerable rationalization of road and rail services and land around the eastern docks entrance to provide efficient land uses, good access and to meet operational requirements.

 

THE CORE

This is designed as the central focus of the regeneration effort. A full spectrum and high level of urban development is planned lto ring cohesion between the City-Centre and the Bay to achieve a dramatic and attractive setting for buildings of all kinds. The extensive range of projects will involve offices, housing, retail, industrial, tourism and leisure uses. Several road links through and across the area are planned to produce a ladder of development between the Bay and the City Centre.

The Inner Harbour is designed as the heart of the scheme, linking Bay and New Town, into an urban complex stretching back seamlessly to Mount Stuart Square and a great 'New Town' planned to encompass Atlantic Wharf, Pierhead, the Graving Docks and Roath Basin.

A formal Mall of symbolic proportions and length runs from the Inner Harbour and Roath Basin past Pierhead, to the City Centre. 'The Bridge' project sits astride the railway to enable development and movement to flow between the City Centre and the south. This includes a new southern entrance to Central Station and major car parks.

An important part of the revitalization of Butetown is planned in concert: the retention and improvement of the housing, industrial, leisure and landscape along the Taff, Dumballs Road, Canal Park and Bute Street. The new and the old, the large scale and the low key economic and social development are designed to go hand in hand with extensive linkages across the area.

 

INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE

CBCD will need to work in close liason with the local authorities and development agencies in ensuring strong marketing, good liason, institutional and financial suport on the industrial and commercial fronts.

There is a large and diverse industrial economy in the Bay a good market for expansion in local manufacturing and services, and potential for the attraction of new export services. The role of CBDC will be to supply a wide variety of choices and land, buildings and services for new development and to assist existing firms and jobs in the Bay Area where this is possible. Industrial development is proposed on a series of sites and extensive development can take place from now on.

East Moors offers a major serviced industrial site in the City at present and further sites can be developed at Pengam Moors, Ferry Road and Penarth Docks. In addition, there is room for intensification of light industrial uses in the Dumballs Road/Curran Embankment area.

There is likely to be a solid but limited growth in local commerce. Thereafter much depends upon the level of success in attracting inward investment. Marketing is the Key, not forecasting.

Market potential for offices over the length of the project would appear to be from 2 million sq.ft. upwards. With a major upward shift in demand, (a sort of Cardiff Canary Wharf), perhaps 5-7 million sq.ft. could result. The most likely range is between 3 and 4 million sq.ft. There needs to be a steady supply of sites, on Atlantic Wharf, around the Railway Roath Basin and South Butetown. The developments will vary from small scale units on good quality sites to lower rental units and large prestige sites. Certain 'high tech' and 'corporate headquarters' projects could be developed on the landscaped parkland sites and around the western edges of the Bay.

The line between commerce and industry is blurring, and 'high tech' research and modern business all need pursuing. Private and public sector relocations need to be sought, and academic linkages fostered.

The City and the Bay have much to offer major relocatees - good communications, a skilled and flexible labour force and low property costs, the academic and physical environment and so on. These advantages now need vigorous national and international marketing with special targeting on financial and professional services and the media. In parallel, training programmes are necessary to prepare the work force for the new opportunities that will emerge.

 

INDUSTRIAL REGENERATION AND RELOCATION

The existing industries in the Bay need to be protected and nurtured as the economy changes. The current industrial improvement area policies should be supported by upgrading access, services and the environment.

A wide range of types of sites and premises should be made available in association with the industrial development strategy to allow local firms to expand and move as necessary This will be particularly important in relocating those industries that need to move for reasons of site assembly environmental impact, or infrastructure development.

A process of close liaison with the industrial and commercial communities, and the handling of each move individually is necessary to maintain the enterprises and jobs and avoid misunderstanding, blight, or loss of confidence. This process should be conducted on an integrated basis with the work of the local authorities and development agencies in the industrial sector and with the business community generally.

 

RETAIL

Retail develoment has an important role to play in the regeration process- drawing in visitors and expenditure and creating jobs. Attractive and convenient shopping is also important to bring in new residential, commercial and industrial development. This lhowever, needs careful pha;sing over time to avoid adverse impacts wlsewhere, esxpecially in the City Centre, which is seeing consierable expansion at present and is very important in local and regional terms.

Within this context the following reserves are seen to be necessary:_

- A leisure-shopping complex on the Inner Harbour;

- Convenience shopping to serve various development and localities;

- A possible major shopping centre in 'Newtown' which should be developed only when there has been substantial new residential and office development, the infrastructure (especially the total PDR system) is in place, and the current City Centre developments are complete and thriving and a project in the Bay can be seen to work with and in support of the central area.

- Possible high quality drive-in retail projects in the various suburban business parks on the completion of the PDR.

Decisions on the timing of these projects must be taken carefully and in conjunction with the major local retailers and planning authorities.

 

SOCIAL SERVICES AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Social sevices attention focuses initiall on the needs of local people especially those experiencing acute social and economi deprivation. However, the provision of social services must be planned in relation to the growth and changing structure of the population and is not a direct CBDC responsibility.

There will need to be a cohesive policy which draws together the plans of the differing statutory bodies in a manner which is relevant to existing and new needs and CBDC should support its production. Issues will arise about gaps in provision, integrated delivery, the timing and form of new services and the location and provision of sites.

Sites for a new surgery in South Butetown and a new community hospital in or near the Core should be provided in the near future.

Three or four new primary schools and increased nursery provision will be needed over time, in addition to the relocation or expansion of some existing schools. Sites need to be reserved in the East, the Core and the Peninsula. There is likely to be adequate provision for secondary education although this should be reviewed in a few years. There are excellent sites in the Bay Area for higher education development, and CBDC must maintain strong liaison with educational, training and academic bodies on this front.

CBDC should support the intention to establish a Family Centre and an Elderly Persons Support Unit. Growth and change will provide a much greater burden on the Social Services Department and the problems of stress and deprivation will require the continuing support and attention of CBDC, working in collaboration with the statutory agencies and voluntary bodies.

The Bay is comprised of several communities of different cultures, interests and views. The new population, its attitudes and activities will be quite different. The mixture of the old and the new will make community development a slow process. Winning and retaining the committed participation of the existing residents in the regeneration process is difficult but vital in a multi-ethnic situation characterized by stress and deprivation.

The 'Community Development' approach should aim to make local people better able to identify needs and priorities and produce programmes of action. CBDC should establish systematic means of consultation and of producing, appraising, monitoring and evaluating proposals. CBDC will need to work with the old and new communities, major employers, elected representatives, leaders in local life, local authorities, statutory bodies, voluntary organizations and specific interest groups.

The procedures and responsibilities must be formalised, straightforward, equitable and unambiguous. Crucial areas of attention will be access to education, business opportunities, employment and skill training, and community involvement in improving amenities, housing and the environment.

 

TOURISM AND LEISURE

The tourism proposals have been designed to expand and complement Cardiff's role as a capital city and gateway to Wales, utilising the special sites and character the Bay has to offer.

A series of major visitor attractions are combined in a major urban tourism focus on the waterfront around the Inner Harbour including leisure shopping, Maritime Heritage Centre, Centre for the Performing Arts, and a Skytower, combined with residential and other leisure uses including pubs, restaurants and cafes.

A detailed feasibility study is proposed for a second waterside focus - an International Maritime Park involving an aquarium, natural sciences and ecology centre, botanic gardens, marine and oceanographic training and research, together with waterside apartments, floating homes, marinas, holiday and hotel accommodation.

Elsewhere, there are other major visitor attractions - the Barrage itself, a possible Indoor Stadium of national status and the extension of Penarth Esplanade to a new coastal harbour village at Penarth Head. The outline of an hotel development strategy is also given. These ideas are not exclusive of the many other exciting possibilities for development on this front.

Overall, the major tourism and leisure development is in the landscape around the Bay with new life styles of waterside living, working and playing.

Together with the major schemes, there will be extensive public access to a wide variety of parks, playing fields, and other community level facilities to serve the new projects and existing communities in Penarth, Grangetown, Butetown, Adamsdown, Splott and Tremorfa.

 

HOUSING

Some 6000 new dwellings are propsed toegether with the retention, and where appropriate, rehabilitation and improvement of the existing 2000 houses in the Bay area.

A substantial programme is proposed for those in housing need in existing communities. Single person, family and sheltered accommodation will be produced under housing association, partnership and similar funding and management arrangements, this accommodation being predominately in the rental sector. An early start on this is important.

The Strategy contains a firm commitment to the retention of existing housing stock. Only in very exceptional circumstances will existing dwellings be removed. Support needs to be given to the housing authorities to improve the residential environment, housing stock and its management especially in those areas of Butetown and Grangetown where conditions are unsatisfactory.

Approximately 75 per cent of the housing will be provided for sale on the open market thus offering a wide variety of opportunities for home ownership. The spectrum will include prestige waterfront dwellings, family homes and flats, single person and starter units, and sheltered accommodation for the elderly and be over a full price range.

integration is of dominating importance to the creation of the new waterside face of the City. An overall concept has been produced and illustrated. Although the presentation is simplified, a great deal of detailed study has been undertaken to produce the urban design framework. Changes from this should be examined in great detail before departing from the essential guidelines.

 

URBAN DESIGN

The quality of design of buildings and spaces of every kind and their integration is of dominating importance to the creation of the new waterside face of the City. An overall concept has been produced and illustrated. Although the presentation is simplified, a great deal of detailed study had been undertaken to produce the urban design framework. Changes from this should be examined in g reat detail before departing from the essential guidelines.

The definition of sites, key uses, the production of planning and development briefs and development control are designed to assist in marketing, attracting high quality projects and guiding them to the most appropriate sites and design treatments.

Major design features include the shaping of the Bay and Barrage, the Mall down the Collingdon Road/Bute Street corridor, the creation of strong urban forms for the Inner Harbour and the New Town (Roath Basin and Atlantic Wharf), parks and parklands settings for development on Penarth Moors, East Moors and Pengam Moors, and the extension of Penarth Esplanade through to the Barrage. A corniche coastal route is proposed for the PDR in the East. The route should run in tunnel across Butetown and over an elegant bridge across the Taff.

Key sites, urban form, and 'theme' use guidelines have been produced for each area; rigid land use and zoning proposals are not appropriate. At a more detailed level, guidelines have been proposed for building forms and heights, waterside edge treatments, material, street furniture, the use of public art, and matters such as climate, security and access. Approaches to achieving high quality schemes and effective development control are also suggested together with the design characteristics of the urban avenues, streets, footpaths and car parking areas.

The Strategy defines a blueprint for achieving a superb and varied urban area. The challenge is now to manage development successfully to this end, fighting off those many types of schemes readily on offer which are however not of the quality to produce the environment that is desirable and achievable.

 

LANDSCAPE AND ENVIRONMENT

The landscape and environmental strategy is designed to restore the intrinsic natural and man-made resources of the area as the backbone of the regenertive effort. the diverse landsscape is instrinsically a superb setting for development, though severely degraded by its past use.

The proposed landscape structure forms an integral element of the urban design and development framework of the Bay and creates a key asset for the future heritage of the city A network of semi-natural and natural landscapes along the foreshore, the Ely the Taff and Rhymney Rivers and at selected locations along the margins of the Bay is planned. These would be reinforced by a major woodland and parkland belt sweeping in from Leckwith and across Penarth Moors to the Bay. This in turn would be linked to the provision of new freshwater and wetland habitats within the Bay.

The existing public open space networks along the Taff Embankment and Canal Park would be enhanced and extended to produce linear parks along the river, across Butetown, and along the Mall to form a series of cross-connecting avenues and streets.

Each area should have a distinctive character. The retention of the existing urban and dockland character of the Core will require a well detailed, hard landscape form with promenades, courtyards and squares. In contrast, developments along the rivers and the western margins of the Bay and along the foreshore would be lower in density and set in parkland or semi-natural landscapes. The development of East Moors, Ferry Road and Pengam Moors would be in landscaped semi-formal parkland settings. A massive programme of landscape and environmental improvement works has been defined to complement this structure.

 

CONSERVATION AND HERITAGE

There is a great history concerning Wales, Cardiff and the Docks and a fine heritage ofbu9ildings. structures and engineering artifacts. The policy is to conserve this heritage, ensure its integration harmoniouisly into the new developments and draw inspiration from the history.

The conservation policies in the Bay should be maintained, extended and supported; and further surveys are required to produce a complete inventory of all the elements of value. Mount Stuart Square, Penarth Docks, Pierhead and the Butetown Graving Docks should be recognised as key areas for historical expression and interpretation. The setting of historical buildings and artefacts will require particular attention on the urban design, architectural and landscape treatment of particular localities.

A National Maritime and Industrial Heritage Centre, for display and serious interpretation, is proposed as a focus of a major project on the Butetown Graving Docks. 'Heritage' themes and nautical displays can be used to give a sense of place to the many parts of the Bay.

Ideally the National Museum of Wales needs to be involved in these ventures; and its desire to develop a new Natural History and Botanic Gardens is noted. The Bay could possibly provide suitable sites that could be integrated with other projects. However, much will depend upon the availability of funds as to whether key sites are to be reserved.

CBDC will need to maintain liaison on this front, as well as the many other statutory bodies and interest groups involved, in order to make best use of the very extensive local and national legacy.

 

TRANSPORTATION

The main Inter-City rail network, the motorway system, and easy access to domestic and international aire services, all hellp make Cardiff and excellent location for development. the fundamental policy objective of CBDC must be to achieve a high level of accessibility, locally, regionally and internationally for all transport modes.

The scale of the proposed development will have a profound impact on transport demand. This highlights the need to pursue an integrated land use/transportation strategy co-ordinated with the policies and programmes of other interested parties, especially Cardiff City and South Glamorgan County Councils, British Rail and Cardiff Bus.

The transport proposals involve a series of inter-related and phased measures, to meet the emerging needs. The PDR links to the M4 and A48M, provides the strategic eastern and western 'gateways' to the Bay Area, and the transportation spine of the regeneration strategy, as it runs across the full span of the designated area.

Six junctions from this major regional route provide access to a hierarchical urban road system based upon grid principles. This is designed to serve traffic requirements, give good direct access to each development site, a clear logic for the road user and to link with the road networks of the city and the region.

Bus, and possibly later in time Light Rapid Transit (LRT) services will be developed to, from, and within the Bay Area.

Car parking, pedestrian and cycling facilities appropriate to the needs of each development area are proposed.

The earliest possible completion of the whole PDR system is seen as the over-riding priority in the transportation strategy for the Bay. The form, phasing and management of the proposals requires further detailed study in a local and city-wide contest, and a phased traffic management plan for the Bay will be necessary. In time the potential for water transport in the Bay facilities for helicopter operators and for a Stolport development should be reviewed. The case for expediting the Second Severn Crossing should be supported.

 

INFRASTRUCTURE

The Strategy has been built up in incremental phases- starting with a critical mass of exentisve mixed urban development at the Core. Industrial and houseing development can also proceed in the near future on East Moors and a number of available smaller sites, particularly in the west of the area.

The infrastructure requirements of the Strategy involve a phased build-up of extended utilities - water supply electricity and gas together with facilities for advanced voice and data telecommunications systems. Drainage and sewerage systems have been considered and related to the proposals emerging in conjunction with the Barrage, the PDR and the service and environmental requirements of the eastern side of the Designated Area.

The many aspects of land reclamation have been reviewed as a basis for later detailed feasibility and design work. guidelines have been developed for the production of data requirements for the advance planning of infrastructure, and for using the inherent flexibility available.