Place-Making Is Helping CCR Shape Our Region’s Future

The South Wales Valleys are rich in history and even richer in opportunity when we back the right ideas.

Tower Colliery is a great example. It represents an important part of our industrial past – and for many, a source of pride. But as a region, we cannot afford to only look backwards. I don’t want young people growing up in the Northern Valleys to only talk about what used to be there. I want them to be able to talk about what’s there now and what’s being built for the future.

That’s why the transformation of Tower Colliery through Zip World has been so important, and why Cardiff Capital Region was proud to play a part in it with a £4.4 million repayable loan. A site with such iconic history being given a new purpose is hugely symbolic. It speaks to what placemaking really means for us – not just regenerating physical spaces, but restoring confidence, ambition and opportunity in the communities that surround them.

There is, of course, an economic benefit to this kind of investment. Projects like this support direct employment, offer supply chain opportunities for local firms, and help keep spending within the local economy. But the impact goes beyond that. It’s about working with businesses that share our values and ambitions – companies that are rooted in Wales, that want to grow here, and that are willing to bring their communities with them.

At CCR, we see ourselves as a catalyst. We want to work with people like Zip World founder Sean Taylor – people with vision, drive and a commitment to doing things well. Supporting those businesses isn’t just good for them, it’s good for the places they’re part of. And by helping them get to where they want to be, we can start to rebalance the regional economy and make sure that growth doesn’t just happen in places that are already doing well.

We’re a region with unique geography and a distinctive economic make-up. That brings challenges, but it also presents opportunities. When we talk about placemaking, we’re talking about investing in all parts of the region – not just those that are already attracting attention or capital. The Northern Valleys matter just as much. That’s why we’re putting focus into things like the Northern Valleys Initiative, and why we're backing projects that have the potential to unlock wider value.

Working with companies like Zip World, who take their social and environmental responsibilities seriously, ensures that the benefits of investment are shared. It also helps attract others. Places like the Cynon Valley already offer a huge amount – from the outdoor environment to nearby destinations like Big Pit and the World Heritage Landscape around Blaenavon. But without the critical mass to pull visitors in, that potential goes untapped. The more we can do to link these assets together and create experiences that encourage people to spend time – and money – in our communities, the better the outcomes for those places.

We’ve already seen what’s possible. Now the task is to build on that. We’ve invested in other ambitious Welsh businesses through our Innovation Investment Capital fund – a £50 million equity fund to support high-growth, technology-focused companies – and we’re keen to do more. We’ve got tools like the Strategic Premises Fund which supports the development of commercial real estate projects, and we’re applying those tools in a way that reflects the region’s priorities, not just its possibilities.

For me, this is personal. As leader of a Valleys council, I see every day the strengths our communities have and the barriers they face. I want to see those communities thrive. Not by trying to recreate the past, but by being more ambitious about the future. That means creating jobs, supporting local growth, and building a stronger sense of place. It means restoring hope.

That’s what placemaking is about. And if we can do more of it – working with the right partners and investing in the right places – we can start to deliver not just economic recovery, but renewal.

Councillor Anthony Hunt talks about this and more Cardiff Capital Region podcast episode Place-Making and Regeneration. Listen to the podcast here.