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Evaluation of the effectiveness of town centre regeneration initiatives in Rhondda Cynon Taf

Descriptions

One of the corporate priorities of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council is to ensure the ‘Regeneration of our Communities’, with vibrant and prosperous town centres integral to this success. Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council is currently developing and implementing proposals to regenerate town centres in the County, with the towns of Aberdare, Ferndale and Pontypridd to benefit from regeneration activity as a result of investment from the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Assembly Government. Regeneration initiatives in these towns will transform public spaces through upgrading the public realm, ensure diversity and distinctiveness through the introduction of high quality materials and bespoke features, and strengthen the commercial core of town centres through investing in the townscape.In order to identify the effectiveness of this regeneration activity and investment Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council is seeking evaluation expertise, to complete analytical reports at three key stages of each of the respective projects; a baseline study at the point of appointment, a mid term evaluation of progress (at the end of 2012), and a final evaluation following completion of the regeneration activity (in early 2015). The evaluation undertaken in each of the three towns will be comprehensive, with indicators of town centre vitality and viability, town centre user satisfaction, and extent of physical improvements, amongst the factors expected to be identified and critically analysed.