Strategic Development Plan Engagement
Who Are Cardiff Capital Region?
Cardiff Capital Region is a Corporate Joint Committee, bringing together the ten councils across South East Wales to drive change at a regional scale. Since 2017, through the CCR City Deal, we’ve created and safeguarded over 3,000 jobs, supported more than 200 businesses, and invested millions in our Metro transport system.
From April 1, 2024, Cardiff Capital Region City Deal became part of the South East Wales Corporate Joint Committee – a new type of statutory, regional public body in Wales.
Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for local people through investment in jobs, transport, homes, and communities. With new responsibilities for strategic transport and planning, we are poised to achieve even more.
Cardiff Capital Region covers the 10 council areas of Blaenau Gwent; Bridgend; Caerphilly; Cardiff; Merthyr Tydfil; Monmouthshire; Newport; Rhondda Cynon Taf; Torfaen, and Vale of Glamorgan. More information about who we are can be found here.
Strategic Development Plan
We are committed to transforming Cardiff Capital Region into a more competitive, connected, and resilient economy, and strategic spatial planning, allied to new powers in transport and economic wellbeing, will help to achieve that.
In line with these ambitions, we will collaborate with local authorities to produce a Strategic Development Plan, setting out an overall vision and strategy for South East Wales, and identifying the strategic locations and places for future growth and change.
A key purpose for this Plan is to work across local authority boundaries, reflecting how people live and work. As a long-term plan (with a minimum range of 25 years), it is intended that it will, ultimately, enable a more consistent, efficient approach to land-use planning. The Plan will be developed over a number of years and our goal is to have the Strategic Development Plan adopted around 2031.
The development of an SDP gives CCR the opportunity to better plan and deliver regionally important, strategic growth in a coordinated, cross-border manner, aligned with the Regional Transport Plan.
Delivery Agreement
The Delivery Agreement (DA) incorporates the Community Involvement Scheme (CIS), which defines how and when stakeholders and the wider community can participate in the plan-making process. This ensures openness, inclusivity, and transparency from the outset.
The DA also provides a detailed timetable for preparing the Strategic Development Plan (SDP), setting out clear stages, milestones, and deadlines to guide its progression.
On 26 July 2024, the Corporate Joint Committee resolved to engage with key stakeholders on the draft Delivery Agreement, marking the first step in developing the SDP. This early engagement was designed to promote meaningful and inclusive participation, underlining the Committee’s commitment to a fair and transparent process. The draft DA was strengthened through the incorporation of a wide range of perspectives, enhancing its robustness, credibility, and alignment with stakeholder needs and aspirations.
The South East Wales Corporate Joint Committee formally approved the Delivery Agreement on 31 March 2025. Final agreement was subsequently secured from the Welsh Government on 20 August 2025.
Strategic Candidate Sites and Areas of Search
Strategic Candidate Sites and Areas of Search
The Call for Strategic Candidate Sites and Areas of Search form an important part of preparing the Strategic Development Plan (SDP). It provides an opportunity for landowners, developers and stakeholders to put forward land or locations that could contribute to the region’s long-term development needs, including housing, employment, infrastructure and regeneration.
All submissions will be considered as part of a transparent, evidence-led process to inform the emerging spatial strategy. However, the SDP will be strategy-led, with the overall scale and distribution of growth determined through the wider evidence base and Integrated Sustainability Appraisal. Submissions will inform this process but will not dictate the strategy or outcomes.
The Call for Strategic Candidate Sites and Areas of Search will run for a period of 8 weeks, commencing on 26 May 2026 and closing on 21 July 2026.
Summary
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