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South Wales Argus
7 days ago
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Caerphilly Town 2035: Residents to have say on next phase
Caerphilly Town 2035 is aimed at attracting more investment and revitalising the town as a destination for residents and visitors alike. Milestones to date include the opening of the shipping container-style market – Ffos Caerffili – and the recent completion of renovations and improvements to the tourism offer at the town's iconic castle. The next stage of the multimillion-pound project will focus on improvements to the top of town. A new round of consultation has been launched in the town centre, hoping to provide decision-makers 'targeted engagement with key communities from hard-to-reach groups to young people and families'. 'The Caerphilly Town 2035 plan has been bringing ambitious revitalisation to make Caerphilly the very best place to live, work, and visit it possibly can,' a Caerphilly County Borough Council spokesperson said. 'To build on our success further, we are once again asking for your input to create the Caerphilly you want to see.' A series of closed engagement events will be held with specific groups in the town throughout August. Then, all residents can have their say at a 'public finale' on Saturday September 6, at Y Banc (the former Barclays building), and at Stockland and Windsor Squares off Cardiff Road. The engagement campaign began earlier in August with an event organised in partnership with Valley Daffodils, a charity for people who have disabilities and additional learning needs. Ceri Hooper, the charity's founder and chairperson, said: 'It's really encouraging – and important – to see inclusivity built into the plans for Caerphilly Town 2035. 'Census data indicates Caerphilly has one of the highest proportions of disabled adults in Wales. This makes it even more important that this demographic is consulted and included in any plans that will affect the day-to-day of all who live in, work in, and visit Caerphilly.' Other branches of the wider Caerphilly Town 2035 project include proposals to redevelop the railway and bus stations as a new public transport 'interchange', as well as the construction of a new leisure centre off Van Road and a housing complex in Pentrebane Street. Some elements of the project have previously come in for criticism, with the council's Plaid group arguing the plans should make more of the town's heritage and historic buildings rather than replace them. The local authority's deputy leader and cabinet member for regeneration, Cllr Jamie Pritchard, believes the council's work is 'starting to pay off', however. 'A new market, the redevelopment of the top of town, a new leisure centre, massive investment in the castle plus plans for a cultural centre and new hotel, [are all] wrapped up in a defined Caerphilly placemaking plan,' he said. 'The large bulk of the finance is coming from outside council funds, but we are there to help drive it.' Cllr Pritchard said the local authority is also 'committed' to similar strategies recently agreed for Bargoed and Blackwood, as well as further plans for elsewhere in the borough. 'We can see positive things happening when putting plans together,' he added.
Business News Wales
12-08-2025
- General
- Business News Wales
Caerphilly Residents Give their Vision for Town's Future
Residents have begun sharing their vision for a key future target for regeneration in Caerphilly town centre. The Caerphilly Town 2035 team are running a series of summer engagement activities seeking the thoughts, experiences, and ideas for the future of the upper Cardiff Road area of Caerphilly, known as the 'Top of Town', running from the train station to the Twyn. The Festival of Ideas will see a series of events happen throughout the town across the coming weeks, where people of all ages and backgrounds will be encouraged to share their thoughts to inform future development of the area, culminating in a public finale on September 6. The Festival of Ideas began in early August with an event organised in partnership with Valley Daffodils, a charity for individuals with all disabilities and additional learning needs and their families. As the placemaking plan progresses, ensuring that Caerphilly truly serves the needs of the community who live, work, and visit the town is a key priority. The Festival of Ideas is designed to achieve targeted engagement with key communities from hard-to-reach groups to young people and families. The Festival of Ideas will reach its finale on September 6 with a public event in Y Banc and Windsor and Stockland Square. Residents and visitors are invited to come and have their say on the future of Caerphilly Town through a series of activities and interactive workshops. Ceri, founder and chairperson of Valley Daffodils, said: 'It's really encouraging – and important – to see inclusivity built into the plans for Caerphilly Town 2035. 'Census data indicates that Caerphilly has one of the highest proportions of disabled adults in Wales. This makes it even more important that this demographic is consulted and included in any plans that will affect the day-to-day of all who live in, work in, and visit Caerphilly. 'Valley Daffodils have been really grateful to be involved at various stages of the community engagement work done behind the scenes of the placemaking plan, and we're really excited to see how the town evolves as a result of the Festival of Ideas.' A Caerphilly County Borough Council spokesperson said: 'The Caerphilly Town 2035 plan has been bringing ambitious revitalisation to make Caerphilly the very best place to live, work, and visit it possibly can. 'With the opening of the container market Ffos Caerffili and the ongoing regeneration of Caerphilly Castle, we are already delivering much-needed change informed by the needs and wants of residents. 'To build on our success further, we are once again asking for your input to create the Caerphilly you want to see.'
South Wales Argus
16-05-2025
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Caerphilly space for businesses and community initiatives
Y Banc, located in the former Barclays Bank on Cardiff Road, will be the new hub for creative programmes and community-driven projects. The opening is part of a wider initiative by Caerphilly County Borough Council to transform disused spaces across the region. The council has been working with Urban Foundry, specialists in repurposing empty spaces for community and business use, for more than a year. They have already successfully revitalised a location on the High Street in Bargoed, allowing small businesses to test-trade, network, and access support through workshops delivered by industry experts. Following the success in Bargoed, the initiative moved to Ffos Caerffili, where a number of workshops were held in one of the retail shipping containers. The sessions were created to meet the needs of local businesses, covering everything from funding advice to TikTok marketing strategies. Cynefin Caerffili CIC, a creative community-led social enterprise working to transform Caerphilly through collective cultural activity, will be the first to move into Y Banc and director Ceri Davies called Y Banc a 'real game-changer for us'. Jamie Pritchard, deputy leader and cabinet member for prosperity, regeneration, and transformation, said: "Putting empty buildings to use in our town centres and offering opportunities for community-driven projects and businesses to flourish is a great mix and brings new opportunities to the high street. "We want this space to be active and full of ideas." Tara Tarapetian, director of Urban Foundry, said: "It's not just about creating a place to work – it's about creating an environment where people feel empowered to grow their ideas. "Confidence in the high street, increased footfall, and supporting local businesses to grow the economy are all big outcomes." The project is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and will contribute to long-term regeneration efforts in the county. There are plans to further expand the project. To stay up to date with upcoming events at Y Banc or to find out how to get involved, visit the Cynefin Caerffili website.
