Cabinet has agreed that a draft strategy for Tonypandy Town Centre will be consulted upon with local residents later this summer. The strategy brings forward a clear and ambitious future vision for the town, along with several potential projects. If adopted, it will act as a blueprint for investment locally.
The Council undertook initial engagement activity to develop the strategy between December 2024 and February 2025, having secured important funding from Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns Placemaking grant. This exercise sought views on Tonypandy Town Centre’s strengths, weaknesses, challenges and opportunities, via workshops with local groups and public engagement online.
The Council has appointed consultants The Urbanists to advise and support the strategy’s development – working closely with officers to make important progress in recent months. The draft, informed by the initial engagement activity, was shared with Cabinet for the first time on Monday, July 7. It has identified five core ambitions for Tonypandy Town Centre, which include:
- That Tonypandy is Welcoming, with easily-accessible town centre connections, vibrant routes, and the promotion of sustainable travel. Wayfinding signs and colourful artwork will play key roles within this.
- That the high street provides a mix of homes, leisure and work. The Living on the High Street ambition includes homes nestled among the shops, providing a lively place to live. Amenities are available nearby, along with local opportunities to socialise into the evening.
- That Tonypandy not only builds upon the area’s significant heritage, but uses it as a stepping stone to innovation. Making History in this way will provide opportunities to celebrate the past and promote the future.
- Having Places to Celebrate within the heart of the town to provide opportunities for people to get together and celebrate events, life, and arts and culture. This will also encourage visitors to the town centre.
- Focusing on Nurturing Business, to ensure the community thrives. A supportive environment will encourage local entrepreneurs and fill the area with traders that include small start-ups and independent stores.
The draft strategy also consists of a series of potential projects that aim to attract investment and deliver positive and meaningful change in Tonypandy Town Centre. These focus on Pandy Square, Dunraven Street and Lower Dunraven Street. Proposed projects for each of these areas would include:
- Non-spatial projects such as developing a marketing strategy, along with a roster of key events and providing business support.
- Public realm enhancements that include the development of green space at Gelli Road and upgrades to the Memorial Gardens.
- Enhanced way-finding and signage throughout the town centre.
- Property enhancements of derelict or underused high street properties.
- Improved active travel facilities to encourage cycling and walking locally, for example the provision of secure cycle storage.
- Enhancements to key gateways into the town centre including improving the train station arrival space as a key gateway area.
The full draft Tonypandy Town Centre Strategy, along with further information about the core ambitions and proposed projects, is available to view within Wednesday’s Cabinet report and its Appendices (agenda item nine).
The formal consultation that Cabinet Members have now agreed upon will take place later in summer 2025, over a six-to-eight week period. Full details will be communicated by the Council when they are finalised in due course.
The process will include a dedicated webpage and survey, promoted locally via posters and flyers, and on the Council website and social media channels. Targeted online and in-person meetings will be held with local groups, while the Council and The Urbanists will attend Tonypandy’s weekly market at least twice within the consultation period – to gain the views of town centre visitors.
Councillor Mark Norris, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Development and Prosperity, said: “I’m pleased Cabinet has supported the Tonypandy Town Centre Strategy in its draft form, agreeing to officers undertaking a formal consultation. Residents will be able to have their say on the core ambitions and proposed projects put forward, helping us to further refine the strategy before it’s considered to be formally adopted. Town centre investment is a key pledge within our Corporate Plan, with similar strategies already produced for Mountain Ash, Porth, Pontypridd and Aberdare.
“We know that Tonypandy, like most town centres across the country, faces challenges – but there is also much to be optimistic about. The South Wales Metro will increase the frequency of rail services to significantly improve access for visitors, while the potential formation of a Business Improvement District for Tonypandy will be going to ballot this summer. We’ve also seen the former Barclays building transformed into a thriving and modern business in Anabelle’s hair and beauty salon, the former HSBC Bank building site now providing modern energy efficient apartments, and the former post office - now the RHA/Beacon Cymru building - transformed with modern office space and apartments. There is also the multi-million pound Big Shed development at the former Co-op site with a mix of retail and residential offerings, and the proposed redevelopment of the Mitchell Court site by Trivallis on Tonypandy Square.
“In building upon this progress, formalising a strategy for Tonypandy Town Centre will enable everyone to come together and agree upon shared goals and objectives for improvement. Once further developed and agreed, the strategy will ultimately provide a blueprint for future investment and the ability to draw in external funding. The Council will communicate details about the consultation once they are finalised, and I’d urge residents to have their say online or in person, to ensure as many voices as possible contribute to finalising a shared vision for Tonypandy.”
Posted on 10/07/2025