Cabinet has now agreed for the Council to formally adopt the new Tonypandy Town Centre Strategy, with its ambitious ‘Welcome to Pandy’ vision, following very positive feedback received in a public engagement exercise. Working with the town’s new BID, the strategy will form the blueprint for investment in the retail area, and will enable a series of exciting local projects to be initiated.
A report to the Cabinet meeting on Monday, February 2, noted the feedback received in the consultation, held from August to October 2025. Following the positive public response, only minor revisions were made to the final version proposed to Cabinet. Updated details about the strategy’s vision, ambitions, and future potential projects, are included at the bottom of this news item.
Welsh Government funding has been secured to develop the strategy via the Transforming Towns Placemaking grant. The Council previously appointed consultants The Urbanists to advise and support the strategy’s development – which includes public engagement as an important element of the process.
The consultation engaged key stakeholders like residents, schools and young people, business owners, and local Elected Members. Key activities included producing an online survey, twice hosting stalls at Tonypandy’s Friday market, providing town centre leaflets and posters, holding an exhibition at Tonypandy Library, and promoting the consultation within the Council staff newsletter.
The project team also attended several local groups – the Neighbourhood Network group, a Chamber of Trade meeting, and the Neighbourhood Network Over 50s. The Urbanists also developed a consultation guide for young people that was shared with the local schools and youth groups.
For the consultation survey, 64 responses were received. In total, 84% agreed with the strategy’s overall vision, while public realm improvements at Pandy Square (92%) and Memorial Garden upgrades (84%) were widely supported.
Relating to Dunraven Street, 98% of responses agreed with improving shop frontages, 97% agreed with re-using historic buildings, while 86% agreed with focusing on the area as the town’s core. For Lower Dunraven Street, 80% agreed with investment in Bridge Street and its car park, 82% for train station improvements, and 58% for providing better way-finding and cycle routes.
Feedback received at in-person events was also positive, with strong support for the proposed vision, ambitions and potential projects – helping to reinforce the overall direction of the strategy. Further details about the survey and in-person feedback are included as an Appendix to Monday’s Cabinet report.
Having considered all feedback and undertaken a comprehensive final review, the project team has made minor changes to the strategy. The overall vision is now refined to more greatly emphasise community identity and engagement, as recommended by The Urbanists and the Design Commission for Wales. The five original ambitions are also refined, removing the ‘Making History’ ambition and integrating focus into ‘Places to Celebrate’ – to promote the town’s history as a central focus while supporting a forward-thinking vision.
Councillor Mark Norris, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Development and Prosperity, said: “I’m very pleased that Cabinet has supported the Council’s adoption of the Tonypandy Town Centre Strategy, which now establishes an exciting, shared vision for the town and agrees upon how future investment can be best targeted. We’ve produced similar strategies for Mountain Ash, Porth, Pontypridd and Aberdare, ensuring the Council, businesses, the public, and other stakeholders can all come together and work towards agreed ambitions for the future of our town centres.
“Engaging the public in Tonypandy has been an integral part of this process. Council officers undertook their first activity in December 2024, and that has been followed by two separate exercises in 2025. Feedback received in the latest consultation was overwhelmingly positive, which was a key factor in Cabinet agreeing for the Council to formally adopt the strategy on Monday.
“While Tonypandy faces challenges like all town centres, it also has lots to be positive about. The new Tonypandy Business Improvement District will see businesses and organisations work together and lead on improving services. New uses have recently been secured for the former Barclays, post office, and HSBC buildings, along with the multi-million pound Big Shed project at the Co-op site and Trivallis’ redevelopment of Mitchell Court on Tonypandy Square. The town will also benefit from improved rail services via the Metro.
“I’d like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation for the Tonypandy Town Centre Strategy. Residents have contributed greatly to creating this important blueprint for the future, particularly through the agreed ambitions for what we want Tonypandy to be – well-connected and welcoming, having places to celebrate, a place that nurtures businesses, and to be somewhere that promotes the high street as an excellent place to shop, work, socialise and live.”
The updated vision for the now-adopted Tonypandy Town Centre Strategy is:
‘Welcome to Pandy’ is a community driven vision to transform perceptions of Tonypandy and shape a local town everyone can be proud to call home. Together, we will work to develop ‘Pandy’s’ place at the heart of the Rhondda Valley, creating a vibrant, inclusive, and well-connected town that celebrates local businesses and people, and warmly welcomes all who live, work, and visit.’
The four core ambitions for Tonypandy in the strategy are summarised here:
- That Tonypandy is Welcoming and Connected, where getting around is easy, green and inviting. Whether you’ve caught the train, or you’re catching the bus, walking or cycling, you’ll be made to feel welcome the moment you arrive. Safe and vibrant routes will link neighbourhoods and the railway line to the High Street, which will have colour and character.
- That Tonypandy has Places to Celebrate, enabling people to meet, celebrate and connect. Key spaces will be developed into flexible areas to help host vibrant events. These spaces will be open and inviting meeting spots every day, while exciting events will help celebrate Tonypandy’s rich and vibrant history and encourage new people to visit the town.
- That Tonypandy is a place for Nurturing Businesses, where traders thrive – helped by a supportive business community the encourages, mentors and promotes local entrepreneurs and start-ups. The high street will have an independent character filled with primarily local businesses, providing ample opportunities for small independent stores to succeed.
- That Living on the High Street in Tonypandy is rewarding, as a place to live, shop, socialise and work, all right outside residents’ front doors. Homes will be nestled in among local shops in a lively, resident-focused place to live. All amenities are accessible in a walkable town centre with plenty of places to socialise, both in the day and long into the evening.
The agreed 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 include:
- Non-spatial projects such as developing a marketing strategy, along with a list 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 gateways into the town centre, including improving the appearance of the bus and train stations as key areas.
Posted on 05/02/2026