Ryder Cup City moves forward to 2020 vision
The £2 billion regeneration of Newport and its 2020 Vision for the future moves forward as the city prepares to host next year’s Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor Resort. Despite the recent announcement that the Friars Walk retail scheme has been a victim of the credit crunch, numerous other projects are well under way.
The 2020 Vision for Wales’s gateway city includes 150 regeneration projects, £2 billion of investment, two million sq ft of new office space, 11,000 new homes, 825 acres of derelict land reclaimed and still one million sq ft of refurbished retail space.
Today this vision is becoming a reality, with developments across all sectors on site and rapidly transforming the city’s appearance. Between now and next year’s Ryder Cup around £100 million of regeneration projects are due for completion bringing new jobs and more opportunities for investment.
John Burrows, chief executive of Newport Unlimited, said:
"'This is a very exciting time for Newport. With four tower cranes at work in the heart of the City and numerous building projects underway around the city centre and inner areas it is clear that regeneration in Newport is moving forward despite global market difficulties affecting the Friars Walk scheme.
"The regeneration programme promoted and funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, Newport City Council, and the private sector is continuing from strength to strength with projects to increase the number of new jobs, new homes, new environmental improvements, and new education and cultural facilities to stimulate vibrancy, interest and investment in the City."
Councillor Matthew Evans, leader of Newport city council, said:
"The huge scale and diversity of the projects on site in Newport is testament to the enormous potential that the city has. There will be few locations in the UK with such an active and ongoing regeneration programme, particularly during the current economic climate.
"The confidence that businesses and investors have in the city can be seen by the size and scope of the developments we have on site as we focus on turning the 2020 Vision for Newport into a reality."
Despite the current economic downturn, major regeneration projects are underway, including new housing schemes, a new £35m university campus in the city centre and new retail and business developments.
Talks are commencing to replace the Friars Walk retail development, with many other projects on site and nearing completion, or due to start imminently.
In the city centre the new university campus and 1050 space Kingsway car park are on site and making excellent progress. The car park is due to open later this year and will complement the refurbished Kingsway Shopping Centre.
Major progress is being made on the key strategic projects, with public consultation underway on plans to transform the Crindau Gateway to the north of the city including proposals for a new canal basin and marina.
St Modwen, who are developing land on the former Llanwern steelworks, are due on site next year for the first phase of their 4000 home development. The project will see the regeneration of one of Wales’s largest and symbolic brownfield sites, given the devastating job losses at the steelworks just eight years ago.
The first phases of both the City Vizion and Newhaus developments have been built while other housing schemes which will provide in-demand affordable housing around Old Town Dock are due on site this year. On the east side of the River Usk around 500 new properties will have been completed by the end of the year.
Around George Street, the flagship £8.4m Orb office development is complete and its glazed, curved design has created an attractive new city landmark as people approach the city centre from the south. The speculative development will soon have its first tenants, Newport City Homes, who themselves will be creating hundreds of new jobs and investment opportunities for the city.
Network Rail’s £25m redevelopment of the railway station is also due on site shortly, with its plans for an attractive new building and concourse at a key gateway into the city.
In retail, two major new supermarkets are planned with Asda building their new store on the former cattle market site while Tesco are planning to replace their existing premises with a significantly expanded new store on the Newport Retail Park in Spytty.
A new gas-powered power station is being built in Uskmouth, while the former LG site to the west of the city is set to house two new developments, with a £1 million WH Smith distribution centre and a data centre planned for the site.
The city’s historic docks are attracting ‘green industry’ investors with several high profile multi-million pound projects offering new opportunities for the area.
Newport docks is already home to the Sims recycling plant – a world leader for recycling waste electrical goods. This year three renewable energy plants in the docks area have been proposed, with the potential to bring significant investment in a sector predicted to dominate future industrial developments.
Newport City Council is driving forward its own major capital programme, including a £21 million investment in the city’s highways infrastructure – the largest of its kind in Wales.
The council is also committed to a major secondary schools redevelopment programme. The first stage of this, a new £28 million secondary school for Bettws is due to open later this year.
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Minister Leads Topping out Celebrations at New City Campus
01/09/09
Jane Hutt, the Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning, helped the
After securing the very highest bolt on the building, which is being built by award-winning construction company Willmott Dixon, the Welsh Assembly Government Minister commented, "This is a great day not just for the people of
Jane Hutt, the Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning, aided by Deputy Vice-Chancellor Graham Rogers, secures the very highest bolt into place on the University's new City Campus
"This is the result of a partnership - the Welsh Assembly Government supporting the
"The University’s
Dignitaries from across
Designed as a ‘hothouse’ of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial activity, the new building’s striking design will be the perfect setting for Newport Business School and the design, film and digital media aspects of Newport School of Art, Media and Design.
Some of those present at the ceremony: (left to right) Kanji Kerai, award-winning project manager, Graham Rogers, Deputy Vice Chancellor at Newport's University, Jane Hutt, the Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning, Matthew Evans, leader of Newport City Council, Cllr Glyn Jarvis, the Mayor of Newport, and Paul Flynn MP.
"We’re delighted and excited to be at the ‘topping out’ stage of the construction of our new Campus," said Graham Rogers, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of
"The City Campus is the first project in the area to take shape, and will be opening its doors to students and the public in 2010/11. Heralded as a major part of
Adrian Brewer, Regional Director for Willmott Dixon, said: "A topping out ceremony is a traditional construction milestone that is believed to bring good luck to the development. It’s a great opportunity to get all involved parties on site to see how the building is taking shape and to feel part of its construction.
"The building is a stunning design that will transform the look of the riverfront. We are using lots of different materials in the build from timber for the research centre and roof to black zinc for the cladding, which will give it a striking appearance. Creating a sustainable building is also very important – the building will have a BREEAM Excellent rating and we will be implementing solar shading, high performance glazing and natural ventilation throughout to achieve this for the University."
A spokesperson for Newport Unlimited commented, ""The University of Wales campus is a major part of our regeneration programme for the City of
The £35m campus, situated on the banks of the River Usk, will be the first phase of an intended £50m development for the University with partnership funding from Newport City Council and Newport Unlimited. The University’s aim is that the new campus will transform the city centre by becoming a magnet for cultural activity along the riverfront and a centre for enterprise.
