Best practice street design and public space guide for Wales aims to draw people back to Welsh towns

Cardiff-based Powell Dobson Urbanists has won a commission to develop a good practice guide that will shape the future of 11 town centres in the south Wales valleys.
 
The document will provide a bespoke set of guidelines to approach the street design in five key local authorities in the ‘Heads of the Valleys’ region. These include Rhondda Cynon Taff, Torfaen, Merthyr, Caerphilly, and Blaenau Gwent.
 
The guide will steer local government policy towards a strategic view on street design to ensure that any future developments in the town centres are effective and sustainable. The contract was awarded by Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council.
 
James Brown, associate at Powell Dobson Urbanists, said: 'The guide was born out of a need to provide a clear idea of what works, and more importantly, what doesn’t, when it comes to street design in a selection of towns in the south Wales Valleys.
 
'While we do not think that every town centre should look the same, it will ensure that any future proposals for public spaces will contribute towards a long-lasting and unique ‘Valleys’ feel that will retain residents and encourage visitors to the centres, helping to boost the economic vitality and, therefore, the sustainability of the towns in question.'
 
The guide will present authorities with a clear idea of best practice in street design, and offer advice about the best way to implement it.
 
It will draw on elements of best practice from across Wales, UK and Europe about how excellent streets can be implemented and managed in the long term, so that investments in street improvements can be sustained.
 
Street design considers how specific features can be used to make places between buildings safe and memorable, including the layout of road junctions, the impact of traffic and road traffic signs, surface materials, lighting and even street furniture such as benches, seats and plants. Many streets suffer from being uncoordinated, cluttered, dated and in poor condition.
 
James Brown explains: 'There is a re-occurring problem that streets in town centres can sometimes accumulate items that, in isolation, are well intentioned, such as CCTV, but the addition of such items, such as columns, unnecessary road markings, poles, signs and railings can detract from the quality of the place itself.
 
'The towns we are preparing the guide for are all located in exceptionally beautiful landscapes. Yet visiting these traditional Valleys towns is becoming, for many, an optional activity as they face competition from bigger places, out of town retail parks and the internet.
 
'The guidelines we are developing are designed to draw more people back to these towns and will enable the authorities to take a significant step towards turning these settlements  into places that people want to visit.'
 
Powell Dobson Urbanists is a limited liability partnership set up to work alongside Powell Dobson Architects to provide consultancy services in urban design, planning, and regeneration.