PLANS to build a new version of the Chartist Mural which was demolished on John Frost Square more than three years ago have moved a step closer.

Work on the mural, which would be a fourth of the size of the original and those behind the scheme hope Oliver Budd, the son of the original artist Kenneth Budd, would undertake the work.

The demolition of the original Chartist Mural back in October 2013 was steeped in controversy, with close to 3,500 people signing a petition opposing it and sparking protests.

Newport council decided in March 2012 to replace the Chartist mural as part of the Friars Walk development, saying it might not survive the move.

Now, Rogerstone Community Council has applied for funding to the Heritage Lottery Fund to build a new memorial, which would include a smaller copy of the mural that used to be in John Frost Square.

The Community Council has applied for a funding of between £10,000 and £20,000 for the piece, which would be sited between the bottom of Ruskin Avenue and the top of Chartist Way, Rogerstone.

Community Councillor Stephen Bowen said: “If we got the funding, that would be fabulous.

“In recent decades, there have been major changes in Rogerstone, with many of the landmarks linked to our industrial passed replaced with housing developments. This commemorative would help keep Rogerstone’s identity.

“The area at the moment is a mess, it’s a bit of an eyesore. The commemorative would make the area look nicer and lots of people would see it.”

Cllr Bowen said that they are hoping to hear back from the Heritage Lottery Fund by March.

He said that, when they first looked into the project, it was decided that public money should not be spent on it, which is why they made the funding application.

He said: “It should be reasonable to ask 'Would a Chartist commemorative be relevant or appropriate in Rogerstone?' The answer to both these questions should be 'yes'.

“When the final decision to march was made, the protesters made their way over this area. In fact, the proposed site is barely a mile away from the Welsh Oak Pub, an important landmark in the Chartist story.”