Priority improvements proposed for Penarth Esplanade
A programme of high priority improvements to Penarth Esplanade and the town’s seafront is to be considered by the Vale of Glamorgan Council following an extensive public engagement exercise.
Under proposals the parking bays currently set aside for outdoor trading would continue to be used for this, with licences reviewed on a month-by-month basis. In response to comments made during the public consultation last year, a set of design standards would then be introduced to ensure the appearance and quality of the seating areas is up to the standard of a high-profile resort.
If recommendations to the Council’s Cabinet are agreed at a meeting on 25 May, rules could also be introduced to prevent traders serving customers on the pavement, rather than the designated outdoor spaces.
Access to the seafront is another key theme in the Council’s plans and the potential for a shuttle transport service from the town centre and the cliff top car park is to be investigated with a view to offering this as a concession for local operators.
The report under consideration also makes clear the Council’s intension to investigate an improvement to signage and wayfinding to help direct visitors to the town and its attractions, including the Esplanade, town centre, approaches to Penarth, and the town’s train stations.
Public drinking water fountains along the Esplanade could also be introduced to make the seafront an area everyone can enjoy without the need to purchase refreshments.
A longer-term strategic study is also being proposed, including the production of a ‘place-based’ strategy for the Esplanade. This is intended as the first stage of developing a ‘place-making’ plan for the whole town of Penarth.
Cllr Bronwen Brooks, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Sustainable Places, said: “Penarth seafront has changed considerably in recent years. Like everybody we want the resort to continue to grow and welcome more visitors, but clearly this needs to be achieved in a way that maintains the heritage of the Esplanade and doesn’t negatively impact on local residents.
“In 2022 we made a commitment to talk to local residents and visitors to Penarth about what they most valued at the seafront and how the resort could be improved. The views that were shared have given us a strong steer on how to make both short term improvements and develop a strategic long-term plan for developing the area.
“The wealth of feedback we received is a great demonstration of how ‘sense-of-place’ engagement works. If the Council is to develop sustainable places we need in-depth of local knowledge to inform our plans. This can take time but it gets us the vital information we need and allows us to make informed decisions about the issues that we know matter to local residents.”
More than £500,000 has been invested in Penarth Pier Pavilion and the Esplanade in the last two years, including refurbishment of the Pavilion, re-painting of street furniture, re-surfacing works, refurbishment of the Cliff Hill Shelter and the refurbishment of existing buildings to create new catering outlets at the entrance to Windsor Gardens and at the Cliff Top Play Area.
A programme of engagement discussion – Your Penarth Esplanade - began in August 2022 with a series of online polls and the opportunity for people to share their thoughts using an ideas board at Penarth Pier Pavilion. This work continued into September when an online forum for discussion was also launched. The responses to these exercises were considered and a more formal survey exercise ran throughout October. A third phase of engagement began with two public drop-in events as well as a series of focus groups for residents, businesses, and community groups in November.