Plans announced for Newport city centre revamp

Local TV

Newport city centre has been in need of some revitalisation for some time, and the council have said new plans will help improve the high street for locals and visitors. A new park, an outdoor market and more local art are on all on the cards to help Newport thrive again.

Transcript

00:01Newport City Centre has certainly seen better days.

00:04Closed shops, locals complaining of anti-social behaviour,

00:07litter and an overall lack of football on the high street

00:10have all been issues for some time.

00:12The promise of Friars Walk bringing people to town

00:15definitely had an impact at one stage,

00:17but in recent years the closure of Debenhams in particular

00:20has been just one of a number of problems.

00:22Council have now said that they want to take action

00:24with a number of different measures

00:26hoping to bring long and short-term benefits

00:28to people visiting the city centre.

00:30With events like the Issefa Earth

00:32come into the city in just a few years time

00:34which will bring thousands of people to Newport,

00:36councillors say that while Newport does have its problems

00:39it has just as many opportunities too.

00:41In the longer term the council have said

00:43they want a regeneration of the town centre

00:45with opposition and critics calling for a large open space

00:48towards the south end of Commercial Street

00:50that can host concerts throughout the year.

00:52There have also been calls for Newport's famous medieval ship

00:55to feature more prominently

00:57and make it more of a destination for tourists

00:59considering its remarkable history and impact on the city.

01:02It's currently open to the public

01:04towards the outskirts of town on an industrial estate.

01:07Short-term plans for the city centre

01:09include an outdoor food market overlooking the River Usk

01:12and wrapping disused shop fronts

01:14with brightly coloured material and artwork

01:16in an effort to improve the visual nature of the city.

01:19Local artists will also be given more opportunities

01:21to display their work around the centre

01:23and there is hope to build a playground for children

01:25in the centre too, targeted at making the city

01:27a family-friendly place to visit.

01:29The longer-term aspects of the plans are unclear as of yet

01:32but short-term ideas like the playground and outdoor market

01:35have been welcomed by opposition councillors.

01:37Newport is in need of something

01:39and the council hope that this is exactly that.

01:41James Peach Watkins reporting for Local TV.

01:43reporting for Local TV.

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