The proposed Plasdwr District Centre

We responded to planning objectives prepared by consultants working on the Plasdwr District Centre (the proposed, very large retail park close to Llantrisant Road,  which will form part of Plasdwr).

Here's an illustration of how the site might look - as shown on the Plasdwr website. How does it look to you? Nice and welcoming? Or bleak and characterless?

This is what we said:

Town and Country Planning Acts 1990 (As Amended)
Partial discharge of condition 44 (District Centre design code) of 14/02733/mjr

Please see below comments by Radyr and Morganstown Community Council with regard to the design of the District Centre.

The centre is likely to be used very frequently by the residents of Radyr and Morgansrtown, thus our great interest in the site.

We would like to see:

• every attempt made to adopt good practice aimed at making this area feel safe at all times of day; it should not be a place where people have any reason to feel intimidated - or to worry that they will witness anti-social behaviour
• to this end, there is much to be recommended in reading works by Jane Jacobs, who successfully campaigned against inappropriate development in New York, from the mid 1950s onwards. She found that communities with 'eyes on the street' were always successful (i.e with no deserted, windswept squares and parks, but with busy areas where people work, live, shop - and feel protected and safe)
• the centre having a human scale
• opportunities for local businesses to occupy a proportion of the proposed retail units, with business rates that they can afford - enabling them to thrive and compete against large corporations
• as much bilingual signage as possible
• opportunities taken to reflect the fact that this development is in Wales' capital city (eg any public art should seek to reflect this)
• steps taken to ensure that the site is not blighted with bad public art
• plenty of greenery (trees, flower beds etc)
• good use of natural and traditional materials in the buildings (wood, brick, stone, iron etc) and as little visible concrete as possible
• outdoor areas designed well enough for people to be able to enjoy using them (such as cafe terraces, with some protection from the elements)
• good, well designed street furniture
• a policy for the rapid removal of graffiti
• a policy to ensure that public areas are kept clean and free of rubbish
• spaces for people to enjoy, where they can relax with family and friends (pubs, restaurants, cafes)
• a degree of public consultation with regard to the types of businesses to be attracted to the centre (we have a website on which we can publish appropriate surveys)

We hope you find these comments to be of use - and we would be very happy to discuss these views with the relevant companies and authorities.

With best wishes.

​Huw Onllwyn Jones
Vice Chair
Radyr and Morganstown Community Council