The shopping area in Birchgrove is set to have a facelift, with new paving, street furniture, planters and new litter bins set to be installed when the scheme begins on January 25. This regeneration scheme is linked with the improvements to the A469 (Caerphilly Road), as the Council plans to manage for the future growth of the city, improving public transport links to and from the north of Cardiff.

The regeneration of the shopping area is funded by the Council’s Neighbourhood Renewal Schemes Programme, and was made possible through a bid put forward by a local councillor and Flora Lazarou, on behalf of the Community and Birchgrove Business Group. The transport improvements are part of a long term plan to improve the transport infrastructure and are funded by the Welsh Government through the Metro Phase 1 Bus Corridor Improvements.

As part of the scheme, a new pedestrian crossing will be introduced to improve public safety and the railings around the existing pedestrian crossing will be replaced.  Access will also be improved by removing stepped access to shops making it easier for residents with mobility issues.

City Council Leader, Cllr Phil Bale, said:

“Our plans to regenerate the Birchgrove shopping area will breathe new life into the area.  We’ve worked closely with the Birchgrove Business Group and residents to ensure the works will improve the quality of life and this district shopping centre continues to thrive and has a sustainable future. We have listened to traders and residents and we have made additional changes to the plan which will be monitored after the new scheme has been built.”

“We want the Welsh Capital to be Europe’s most liveable capital city. To be truly ‘liveable’ we have to invest in our local communities, in terms of the aesthetics of the area, community facilities, accessibility for residents, shops, businesses as well as the much needed transport infrastructure. ”

Commenting on the improvement works planned for Caerphilly Road, Cabinet Member for Transport, Planning and Sustainability, Cllr Ramesh Patel, said:

“The Council has to plan for the growth of the city and this involves updating and improving the transport infrastructure. Over 81 000 people commute into the city each day and this is a main arterial route from the north of Cardiff. We want to make public transport a viable option for commuters, residents and visitors and this is what we are doing.

“By 2020 we will deliver a 50/50 modal split between those travelling by private car and alternate forms of transport. We will deliver a new transport Interchange for the city, investing in bus and cycle lanes and pedestrian access, as well as working closely with the public transport operators.”

As part of the ongoing public engagement on the scheme, a number of drop in sessions were held with local residents and the following amendments have been made to the scheme:

• Grass verges will now be retained where the new trees are being planted at suitable locations.

• The proposed parking restrictions to limit waiting times on Pedair Erw road, Pum Erw Road and Heol Dyfed have been put on hold.

• The proposed resident parking bays on Caerphilly Road between Coronation Road/Tair Erw Road junctions and the Ty-Wern road / Maes-Y-Coed Road junctions have also been put on hold.

The impact of these amendments will be monitored after the scheme is implemented.