Posted on: Friday 24 March 2023
Torfaen Council are the latest council in Wales to sign up to the Placemaking Charter for Wales which demonstrates the council’s support for the principles of placemaking. The council joins over 130 organisations to have signed the charter, including five other local authorities in Wales.
The Placemaking Wales Charter was developed by the Welsh Government and the Design Commission for Wales to set down the principles of Placemaking in a document that can be signed and endorsed by all organisations and bodies involved in the development process.
As a signatory to the charter the council are pledging to:
- involve the local community in the development of proposals
- choose sustainable locations for new development
- prioritise walking, cycling and public transport
- create inclusive, well defined, safe and welcoming streets and public spaces
- promote a sustainable mix of uses to make places vibrant
- and value and respect the positive, distinctive qualities and identity of existing places.
Cllr Joanne Gauden, Torfaen’s Executive Member for Economy, Skills & Regeneration, said: ‘The council has become a signatory of the Placemaking Wales Charter to further demonstrate how the principles align with the ambitions of our new County Plan and our well-being objectives.
‘Placemaking is a holistic approach to planning and design with a focus on promoting people’s prosperity, health, happiness, and well-being in the widest sense. All new development should embrace the individual character and features of Torfaen’s communities and should seek to create places that build a sense of community and where people can meet their daily needs.’
Torfaen’s Strategic Director for the Economy and Environment, Rachel Jowitt, said: ‘Placemaking is a broad concept that puts an emphasis on the special features and unique identity of our communities. This way of working isn’t new to Torfaen as the principles of this charter are evident in our place plans for Pontypool and Blaenavon. However, our signing of the Charter strengthens our commitment to the principles and helps to enhance Torfaen as a forward-looking, progressive and inclusive place to live and work.’
For more information on the charter visit Placemaking Charter - Design Commission for Wales