The way buildings and public spaces look and function can help make our capital city a nicer place to live, work and visit.
A sustainable approach to the design of new developments can also reduce the impact the construction industry has on climate change, add value to the development and the local area and mean that new buildings are cheaper and more efficient to heat, light and manage.
It is part of our job as a council to make sure there are guidelines in place and that advice is provided about the design of new buildings and public spaces in order to help achieve this.
Guidance on Design and Access Statements (DAS)
Most planning and listed building consent applications (with defined exceptions) will require a Design, and Access Statement to accompany the application.
The DAS will show that good design objectives have been considered.
Download and read the Design and Access Statement Guidance (PDF, 357 KB)
Design Guides
Design guides cover a range of topics, including household extensions, new housing layouts and tall buildings, and offer advice about design choices, case studies and other useful information.
Liveable Design Guide
The Liveable Design Guide (PDF, 13 MB) sets out how new developments will help Cardiff become Europe's most liveable capital city. It sets out the Council's ambitions for placemaking, urban design and architecture, which will be applied to strategic development sites throughout the city.
Cardiff Residential Design Guide
The Cardiff Residential Design Guide (PDF, 1 MB) offers guidelines for the design of residential developments in Cardiff. It also has case studies and describes the design process to be followed.
Tall Buildings Design Guide
The Tall Buildings Design Guide (PDF, 1 MB) has advice on where tall buildings are located in the city and principles which must be applied to their design. The guide is focussed on the development of tall buildings in the city centre and bay areas of Cardiff.
Infill Sites Design Guide
The Infill Sites Design Guide (PDF, 2 MB) provides guidance for infill development, which is the way previously developed small sites within the city are developed.
Shop Fronts and Signage Design Guidance
The Shop Fronts and Signage Design Guidance (PDF, 2 MB) provides guidance for when shop fronts or signs are replaced, changed or if new ones are put up. The document gives outlines on key issues, such as design, lighting, security and advertising.
Welsh Sustainable building standards
The Welsh Assembly Governments' sustainable GOV.Wales - Sustainable building standards applies to all residential new build developments as well as non-residential development with either a floorspace of 1000m2 or more or a site with an area of 1 hectare or more.
Design Review
The internal Design Review service offers advice on the design quality of developments that have been submitted for pre-application advice or planning permission. Annual Reports summarising the schemes reviewed are available for:
- Design review 2023 (PDF, 679 KB)
- Design review 2022 (PDF, 641 KB)
- Design review 2021 (PDF, 1 MB)
- Design review 2019 (PDF, 386 KB)
- Design review 2018 (PDF, 572 KB)
Public art
Cardiff is home to a collection of more than 200 public artworks that have developed with the city over the past 150 years and form part of the fabric of its public spaces.
The Cardiff Statue and Monument Protocol (PDF, 838 KB) explains the Council's procedure for assessing proposals to install public artworks in Cardiff.
Contact us
For more information about any of the above documents and guidance, or if you have any questions about city design, please contact us.
Placemaking
Strategic Planning
Cardiff Council
Room 250 County Hall
Atlantic Wharf
Cardiff
CF10 4UW
