Let’s Talk Cardiff: Delivering a future-focused city built on partnership
Cardiff is backed by significant investment that is accelerating its growth as a future-focused city. With £140 million committed to the upgrade of Cardiff Central Station, set to transform the passenger experience and enable more people to effortlessly travel in and around the city region, and another £250 million invested in its compound semiconductor industry, creating hundreds of new high-value jobs, the Welsh capital is emerging as a magnet for innovation and sustainable urban development.
And while these are promising foundations, the challenge now lies in ensuring that the investment the city is receiving has a ripple effect, with its benefits extending across the wider region. How do we ensure that this moment translates into new employment opportunities, better connectivity, affordable housing delivery, and creates a springboard for future sustainable development?
On the 19th November, real estate professionals and leaders from across the public and private sectors gathered at the Hilton Hotel in the heart of Cardiff to examine the forces shaping the city region and how we can harness its strengths to deliver on its growth ambitions effectively.
Our series of Let’s Talk events so far has provided intriguing insights into how UK hubs are authentically creating great places to live and work, while helping the nation collectively drive economic growth. And the Cardiff edition was no exception.
Kicking off with a warm welcome from Andrew Gibson, the office’s Regional Managing Director, and an overview of the economic outlook from our UK Economist, James Roberts, it was a reflective morning, marked by a real sense of optimism about the future of Cardiff and the wider region. We were delighted to follow this up with an engaging panel discussion, featuring Mike Brough, Director of Regional Growth at Cardiff Capital Region; Leanne O’Brien, Partner, Real Estate at Capital Law; and Nick Harris, Project Lead Executive, Major Projects at Live Nation.
Investment in infrastructure to unlock new opportunity
The region is home to a significant innovation ecosystem, including the Compound Semiconductor Centre, a leading facility for the research, development and prototyping of compound semiconductor technologies, and a growing number of startups spinning out of its world-leading universities. But as a developing innovation hub, Cardiff needs talent. And talent needs the right infrastructure to thrive.
Investing in infrastructure in the city centre is critical, but we can’t forget about those living in the wider region. For those commuting into the city, do we have the right links to connect them to employment opportunities? Are transport hubs accessible and located near to the right amenities? If we’re going to reduce reliance on cars, we need an integrated and reliable public transport network that meets the needs of communities and supports the economic growth of the city region.
The panellists also applied this thinking to housing delivery. Once again, attention is needed across the wider region, rather than concentrating new development in the city core, to ensure that growth is inclusive, with a mix of affordable, high-quality homes supported by the services, transport connections and community infrastructure that make places genuinely liveable.
The ongoing improvements to Cardiff Central Station will be transformational in connecting people to new, high-quality neighbourhoods across the wider region and opening up access to the skills, jobs and cultural assets that fuel long-term prosperity and considered placemaking.
Cardiff Bay Arena as an anchor for wider regeneration
With infrastructure works underway, the conversation turned to the importance of the new Cardiff Bay Arena as a catalyst for the redevelopment of the city’s waterfront. As the Atlantic Wharf masterplan progresses, the arena occupies an important position as an anchor development, with the potential to unlock new opportunities and facilitate future regeneration.
Atlantic Wharf is a significant example of how aligned partnership and strategic vision can coincide to imagine a new future for the city. The impressive 30-acre, mixed-use development will see the area transformed into a neighbourhood of new homes, as well as hospitality, leisure, office and outdoor spaces – with a 16,500-capacity, world-class arena at its heart.
In cities like Manchester, we’re already witnessing the opportunities arising from the development of Co-op Live, with the city region reporting a rise in investment and tourism as the scheme attracts tourists, occupiers and investment into the North of England. Atlantic Wharf, bolstered by the new arena, presents a comparable opportunity for Cardiff.
The arena, brought forward in tandem with new public realm and open space, resilient infrastructure, retail and leisure amenities, and quality homes and workspace, is a real lever for delivering sustainable growth for the city, with the panel in agreement that it will, over the coming years, work to enable future development.
The role of partnership between the public and private sectors
A key focus of the discussion was the crucial role of collaboration between the public and private sectors in creating new opportunities for the region. A collective, aligned approach to targeting growth speaks a louder message to investors about the significance of the opportunities in Cardiff and signals a vote of confidence in the strength and readiness of the region’s investment potential.
Working in partnership ensures initiatives are truly representative of what people and businesses in Cardiff want and need. This strategic alignment on long-term goals is what is required to bring forward new development opportunities, and to create communities across the city region that feel represented and supported as they evolve.
Cardiff’s future relies on a shared commitment to placemaking, infrastructure investment, the delivery of new employment opportunities, the attraction of talent, and the expansion of its growth sectors – all of which can only be enabled through collaborative leadership, taking a unified approach to shape a city region that competes on a national stage and delivers lasting value for the people who call it home.
