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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Capital's push as 'premier' city | Capital's push as 'premier' city |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| A five-year plan to promote Cardiff from a "first division" city to the "premier division" has been unveiled. | A five-year plan to promote Cardiff from a "first division" city to the "premier division" has been unveiled. |
| An economic strategy drawn up by Cardiff Council says the capital should be competing with successful European cities like Dublin and Prague by 2012. | An economic strategy drawn up by Cardiff Council says the capital should be competing with successful European cities like Dublin and Prague by 2012. |
| It aims to establish the city as an international business location and build on its reputation for quality of life and sporting and cultural events. | It aims to establish the city as an international business location and build on its reputation for quality of life and sporting and cultural events. |
| But the report stresses Cardiff must improve transport systems to succeed. | But the report stresses Cardiff must improve transport systems to succeed. |
| HAVE YOUR SAY It has a world class stadium.....The city needs a bit of a tidy up, and some decent advertising. Ifancyapint Send us your comments | |
| Mark Stephens, Cardiff Council's executive member for economic development and finance, said: "The strategy provides a platform to move Cardiff forward on many fronts and sets out a long term vision for the city. | Mark Stephens, Cardiff Council's executive member for economic development and finance, said: "The strategy provides a platform to move Cardiff forward on many fronts and sets out a long term vision for the city. |
| "It will enable us to position Cardiff as a competitive European capital city." | "It will enable us to position Cardiff as a competitive European capital city." |
| The report - Competitive Capital - says current developments in the city, including the St David's 2 shopping centre, the new Cardiff City stadium and the Sports Village in Cardiff Bay, will bring future investment to the capital and its surrounding regions. | The report - Competitive Capital - says current developments in the city, including the St David's 2 shopping centre, the new Cardiff City stadium and the Sports Village in Cardiff Bay, will bring future investment to the capital and its surrounding regions. |
| It identifies opportunities for the city over the next five years, including events such as the Ashes Test in 2009 and the Ryder Cup in 2010. | It identifies opportunities for the city over the next five years, including events such as the Ashes Test in 2009 and the Ryder Cup in 2010. |
| The report also says there is an opportunity too for a second phase of regeneration in Cardiff Bay. | The report also says there is an opportunity too for a second phase of regeneration in Cardiff Bay. |
| "As the waterfront matures, it is important to provide a continued programme of action to ensure the bay further develops as a vibrant business and leisure destination," it says. | "As the waterfront matures, it is important to provide a continued programme of action to ensure the bay further develops as a vibrant business and leisure destination," it says. |
| According to the report, Cardiff experienced the highest percentage increase in total employment of any of the UK core cities, such as Liverpool and Manchester, with an increase of 26.9% between 1998 and 2004. | According to the report, Cardiff experienced the highest percentage increase in total employment of any of the UK core cities, such as Liverpool and Manchester, with an increase of 26.9% between 1998 and 2004. |
| CITY CHALLENGES To increase the competitiveness of Cardiff as a leading international capital cityTo become a widely recognised international business location that encourages growth and innovation in thriving sectorsTo create a highly skilled and qualified workforceTo tackle deprivation and regenerating local communitiesTo ensure that Cardiff has a modern, world-class transport infrastructureTo build on Cardiff's reputation as a "quality of life" citySource: Competitive Capital, the Cardiff Economic Strategy 2007-2012 from Cardiff Council | |
| It also says it has a highly skilled workforce which outperforms the national average. | It also says it has a highly skilled workforce which outperforms the national average. |
| The city's size - "small and compact in design" - is also a plus point, with the report noting that "there is growing evidence of the future will be the smaller cities - those with human scale and a closer relationship to the natural environment". | The city's size - "small and compact in design" - is also a plus point, with the report noting that "there is growing evidence of the future will be the smaller cities - those with human scale and a closer relationship to the natural environment". |
| Expansions | Expansions |
| But the report highlights a number of problems the city must overcome to reach its full potential. | But the report highlights a number of problems the city must overcome to reach its full potential. |
| These include a shortage of office space and the absence of an international business park, although there are hopes this could be addressed by 2012. | These include a shortage of office space and the absence of an international business park, although there are hopes this could be addressed by 2012. |
| One of the main problems identified is the "polarisation of skills" between Cardiff and the south Wales valleys which needs to be addressed. | One of the main problems identified is the "polarisation of skills" between Cardiff and the south Wales valleys which needs to be addressed. |
| However, it says as many households in the capital are living below the poverty line than in Merthyr and Blaenau Gwent put together. | However, it says as many households in the capital are living below the poverty line than in Merthyr and Blaenau Gwent put together. |
| Deprivation | Deprivation |
| The reduction of this deprivation, particularly in inner city areas like Butetown, Grangetown and Riverside, is a "critical factor" in Cardiff's future success, the report concluded. | The reduction of this deprivation, particularly in inner city areas like Butetown, Grangetown and Riverside, is a "critical factor" in Cardiff's future success, the report concluded. |
| Deprivation in Butetown must be addressed, the report says | Deprivation in Butetown must be addressed, the report says |
| The report also says that with 70,000 commuters to the city, and traffic growing at 2.5% year, Cardiff is facing "considerable pressure" on the existing road network and public transport. | The report also says that with 70,000 commuters to the city, and traffic growing at 2.5% year, Cardiff is facing "considerable pressure" on the existing road network and public transport. |
| An over-reliance on the private car and associated heavy commuting between the valleys and coastal belt has added to growing pressure on the city's transport infrastructure, it stated. | An over-reliance on the private car and associated heavy commuting between the valleys and coastal belt has added to growing pressure on the city's transport infrastructure, it stated. |
| The city needs to develop an efficient integrated public transport and "real alternatives" to the car by 2012, but is "facing huge challenges," the report said. | The city needs to develop an efficient integrated public transport and "real alternatives" to the car by 2012, but is "facing huge challenges," the report said. |
| Russell Goodway, the former leader of Cardiff Council and current chief executive of the city's Chamber of Commerce, said transport was the key to ensuring the capital continues to improve. | Russell Goodway, the former leader of Cardiff Council and current chief executive of the city's Chamber of Commerce, said transport was the key to ensuring the capital continues to improve. |
| "We can build a superlative capital but it needs to spread out to the regions," he said. | "We can build a superlative capital but it needs to spread out to the regions," he said. |
| "There's some antagonism towards Cardiff as they [the regions] see it getting everything. We need to ensure they feel part of that success and that they benefit from that success. That's what a capital city does. Improving transport is the way to do that." | "There's some antagonism towards Cardiff as they [the regions] see it getting everything. We need to ensure they feel part of that success and that they benefit from that success. That's what a capital city does. Improving transport is the way to do that." |
| The report also raises concern at links to Cardiff International Airport, with "under-utilisation and under-capacity" needing to be addressed. | The report also raises concern at links to Cardiff International Airport, with "under-utilisation and under-capacity" needing to be addressed. |
| The report pulls together various studies, including a review of the city's economic competitiveness by Professor Michael Parkinson, of the European Institute of Urban Affairs. | The report pulls together various studies, including a review of the city's economic competitiveness by Professor Michael Parkinson, of the European Institute of Urban Affairs. |