Swansea Rural Development Partnership

The Swansea Rural Development Partnership is based on the 'quarters' principle, and includes key stakeholders from public, private, voluntary and community sectors of the 8 rural areas of City & County of Swansea.

In order to link effectively to the Community Planning process and the Better Swansea Partnership, the Swansea Rural Development Partnership feeds into the Swansea Economic Regeneration Partnership, charged with delivering Swansea 2020, the economic regeneration strategy for the City & County.

The structure of the Partnership reflects the unique urban/rural nature of the City & County of Swansea where in fact the rural wards cover around 60% of the land surrounding the core urban area. There is a perception in the outlying areas that their development needs are overlooked in favour of the more urban settlments. The formation of this new Partnership provides an opportunity to look more closely at these specific needs, and to feed these into wider developments and initiatives through Rural Development Plan funded-activities, and the wider implementation of Swansea 2020.

The current Partnership membership also takes account of the work that has already begun within Swansea's rural communities, ranging from activities undertaken by community groups and development trusts, to the Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Management Plan. Rural Development Plan status for Swansea provides a major opportunity to give a boost to the work already begun, and enhance the capacity and scope for rural development in Swansea.