A changing capital

An expert in spatial planning has demonstrated what Cardiff is and what it might become through the lens of the city’s built environment at the latest in Cardiff Business School’s Breakfast Briefing Series.

Dividing his presentation into four sections Dr Brian Webb, from Cardiff University’s School of Geography and Planning, examined the changing face of Wales’ capital at the Regional, City, District and Neighbourhood levels.

Attendees, drawn from Cardiff’s academic, business, construction and consultancy sectors, learned how current and proposed small scale schemes at the neighbourhood level have the potential to change communities across the city region.

Dr Webb also explained how district level initiatives are re-orientating Cardiff’s economic centre into the retail metropolis that it has become over the last twenty years.

He said: “Online shopping is changing the retail environment, but Cardiff is - in many ways - well positioned to weather some of these changes from a City Centre perspective...”

“It’s created a mix between different types of activities. So anyone can go and buy something online, but can’t go and enjoy a cup of coffee and a chat with friends and walk around quite so easily.

“Cardiff City Centre has managed to create an environment that is conducive to that type of activity and that type of experience.”

Finally, Dr Webb settled at the city scale where he unpacked the implications of large housing and infrastructure projects characteristic of the city in its current guise.

Following the presentation, Sarah Lethbridge, Director of Executive Education at Cardiff Business School, invited questions from the audience.

A lively question and answer session followed in which Dr Webb answered questions on social and student housing developments, transport, canal regeneration and the City Region.

The Executive Education Breakfast Briefing series is a network that enables business contacts to find out more about the latest research and key developments from industrial partners.

If you were unable to attend, catch up with this live stream of the event.

The next briefing on Governance and Sport takes place on 22 January 2019 and will be led by Laura McAllister, Professor of Public Policy at Cardiff University’s School of Law and Politics.