Plans to transform Newport’s Old Town Dock are being welcomed as a much-needed boost for the city. JEN MILLS reports.

THE “final piece of the jigsaw” of Newport’s riverside redevelopment could fall into place with proposals to transform the last stretch of the Old Town Dock, which were unveiled last week.

Local politicians and people say it could be a much-needed kickstart for wider regeneration.

Ron Jones, councillor for Pill, said: “I welcome the development.

It’s a good investment. People seem in favour of it. It will clear up a disused area.”

Cllr Jones said he was pleased to see his ward developing: “We have waited a long time in Pill for regeneration.

We have earned it and we have deserved it. We hope to make it a nice place to live in. There’s a lot of work going on in Commercial Road.”

New residents taking up the new properties were likely to be couples or single people, Cllr Jones thought: “Families prefer to have a back garden.”

He added that land at Francis Drive and Williams Close were important to develop next as he believes drugs users often go there.

Ann Barton, who lives in Pill and runs a florist there, said of the plan: “It looks fantastic, I’d welcome it, but seeing is believing.

“The water is there, why not make the most of it? Anything on the waterfront is a blessing – look at Cardiff Bay. It would improve and bring a people into the area.”

“The top end of Commercial Road has seen a lot of development,”

Ann said. “We are so posh now, my shop front outside looks like Harrod’s. We watch the people sit outside in the sun.

“That has put pride into the top end of Pill. If they are going to go to the waterfront you can imagine what a difference that will make.”

Councillor John Richards, cabinet member for regeneration and development on Newport City Council, said: “If you go across the city there are lots of house building projects being progressed.

“It has been a long time coming but these things are all positive moves. We all want a positive future for the city. It’s fundamental to help Newport achieve economic recovery. Long may it continue.”

Proposals for a new eco-suburb include around 85 houses and 21 apartments, earmarked to be built on the 12-acre brownfield site by the river Usk in Pill. Building is anticipated to take six years to complete.

Developers have an eye on their carbon footprint, making sure the buildings will be well insulated and will get their electricity from efficient sources. Residents will also have the option of using a mini-fleet of electric cars so they can reduce their reliance on petrol.

Rain-water runoff will be kept on the site and used in water features, which will also benefit wildlife.

The proposals include offices, shops and a health centre as well as residential properties.

A Combined Heat and Power (CHP) facility already at Newport Docks will provide energy for the new development in a more sustainable way. It is more efficient than traditional sources, as heat is harnessed as energy rather than being left to dissipate.

The plans are part of a wider drive to regenerate the city.

If proposals are approved, people could move into the first houses and 45 apartments by 2015, with the full scheme completed in six years.

Developers Sennybridge are looking to provide a broad range of options for people hoping to move in.

Shared ownership may be an option for buyers who cannot afford to buy a property with traditional mortgage finance.

The Old Town Dock was built in 1842 and shipped coal around the world from the Brecon and Monmouthshire Canal.

However, when Alexandra Dock opened in 1876, it was used less and less and in 1930 it was filled in.

Architects working on the site now are keen to preserve its history, and will be excavating to find the old dock wall. They would like to expose part of it and place information signs around the area to educate people about what was there before the houses and apartments.

Aled Roberts, 40, director at Roberts Limbrick architects, was part of the team designing the proposals.

He said: “We have probably been working on the scheme since September last year. We’re incredibly excited. It’s a really positive regeneration – things are really on the up for Newport.

“There will be wildlife areas and play areas. We’re trying to reduce the reliance on usage by promoting pedestrian and cycling links. If you’re living in an urban development you don’t necessarily want the expense of having a car.”

 Eco scheme goes beyond legal requirement 

NEWPORT Unlimited spent £600,000 developing infrastructure at the site before inviting bids from developers.

Seven expressed interest initially, before this was whittled down to two.

Sennybridge were chosen for their commitment to sustainability, which went beyond what they were legally obliged to provide.

Hamish Munro, head of regeneration at Newport Unlimited, said: “For this final piece of the jigsaw it’s a substantial development. £39 million is not small.”

Mr Munro said: “We weren’t quite sure what kind of interest we would get but we thought we’d give it a good go and see what happened.”

The eco-friendly features will pay for themselves, he added.

“People are seeing the environmental benefits, looking at the costs of heating and power and everything else.

Views are changing and progressing.

“We’re trying to make sure that economic and social sustainability are also included.

It’s part of the Pill area and it needs to be part of that community.

“We wanted to link in cycling and electric cars and give people an option.

Hopefully once people try them they will like them, and they will get better over the years.

Mr Munro said: “We can safely say this will compare favourably with a lot of new housing schemes across the UK, more favourably I would say. We should be very proud.

We have gone through one of the biggest global recessions in memory and Newport suffered along with it. It’s a global thing – we can’t switch that off.

“But I’m sitting in my office looking at the cranes building Admiral, and there are good things happening in Newport.”