DETAILED plans have been revealed for a new live music venue in central Newport.

Le Pub operations manager Sam Dabb is leading the charge to turn the Corn Exchange building on High Street into a 500-capacity community space.

The self-described team of “music lovers”, which also includes city councillor Emma Stowell-Corten and music promoter Elisha Djan, want to “buck the trend” of closures across the country.

Their planning application was received by Newport City Council on Wednesday, December 6, and validated just days later on Monday, December 11.

The steering group want to host Caldicot indie outfit The Bug Club on March 2.

The plans have already got the backing of Rhys Taylor (Goldie Lookin Chain), and Huw Stephens (BBC Radio) who believes the venue could host a whole new raft of touring acts which so often skip Newport in favour of Bristol and Cardiff.

What are the plans for the Corn Exchange venue?

The application, submitted in the name of Ms Dabb, relates to 1,365 square metres of vacant space on the ground floor.

The group – under the name of Corn Exchange Casnewydd Limited – are asking for permission to turn the former office space into a live music venue, community space and nightclub.

If plans are approved, the ground floor will have two bars, a ticketing area and a stage made from timber and steel, 80cm high with three steps.

There will also be a cloak room, two accessible toilets – and two backstage lounges for performing acts.

The applicants note that neither the work nor “change of use” has already started, which leaves just a matter of weeks to get the building fighting fit.

The owners want to replace some glass partitions with stud walls and install new lavatories and wash basins.

They expect to have six full-time employees and another 12 on a part-time basis.

Application documents reveal there are no plans for vehicle parking at the site.

On the subject of waste storage and collection, they say: “There is a fenced-off area allocated at the front of the building which is currently being used for another business’ bins.

“They have been instructed that these can no longer remain there as Corn Exchange will need to access this area for emergency entrances.

“The bins for Corn Exchange will be housed in the allocated space for all venues in the area – Carpenters Lane.”

The business will make use of a contract with Wastesavers for the disposal of bottles, cans, cardboard and general waste.