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New developers 'showing interest' in Friars Walk (From South Wales Argus)
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New developers 'showing interest' in Friars Walk
4:09pm Monday 6th July 2009
SEVERAL developers have already shown an interest in a shopping centre scheme for Newport in the wake of the doomed Friars Walk project.
Modus Corovest (Newport) Ltd's failure to deliver the £200 million transformation of a large section of the centre was a devastating blow.
But immediately after the announcement was made last month, potential anchor store Debenhams said the city remained an attractive market for the company and it would be interested in any future proposals.
Now council leader Matthew Evans has revealed that several informal approaches have been made by developers showing an interest in the city centre development.
But he was adamant that when the project was re-tendered the authority would not accept anything other than a major development.
"That's what the centre of Newport requires and our residents deserve. A few new shops in John Frost Square is simply not enough."
However, he added, it was not intended to ignore the city centre while waiting for developers to come along.
"We are conscious of the immediate issues that need addressing and will be doing all we can to attract more shoppers, improving the environment and promoting the city centre and setting up a fund to tackle vacant shops."
Cllr Evans said the interest being shown was an encouraging sign and vindicated the decision to draw a line under the original Friars Walk project, and end the uncertainty hanging over it and the city centre.
"With so much already achieved the Newport offer is a strong one for developers looking for major schemes and as the economy begins to show some signs of stability we are confident that the interest in Newport will continue to grow."
£100,000 set for shops spruce up |
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The council is due to allocate £100,000 for grants to businesses for property improvements and bringing vacant shops in the city centre, with priority given to Lower Commercial Street, Charles Street, Cardiff Road, Market and Newport Arcades and Clarence Place. It also intends to set aside £50,000 for manufacturing businesses finding difficulty securing finance for expansion in the current economic climate. |
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Your Say YourGwent
Owain Vaughan, Newport, Monmouthshire says...
8:17pm Mon 6 Jul 09
Salem, Blackwood says...
10:01pm Mon 6 Jul 09
Nevasleep, Newport says...
12:38am Tue 7 Jul 09
The Frairs Walk scheme is the right size. Its not asking too much, as we already had the anchors, cinema chain, and about 60-70% let??.
It will also open up the city centre to the riverside.
Newport isn't trying to beat Cardiff or Bristol. Cwmbran isn't really a major shopping area, just a better town centre.
Bobevans, Newport says...
6:51am Tue 7 Jul 09
Lots of spin and as usual zero action.
Newport does not need a huge new shoping centre. Its to small to support one. Look around at al the empty shops at present. They cannot even fil the Kingsway Centre.
When will these people get real. High Street shopping has been declining for some years and forecast show that will continue. A small compact centre based on the Kingsway Centre and John Frost Square & parts of Commercial Strret is more then Adequate. That could be done quickly & at low cost
Brighton_1975, Zooport says...
10:03am Tue 7 Jul 09
Owain Vaughan wrote:The ground space would still be the same but in terms of retail units, I would have less and use the remaining space to create a bigger public space. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise that Newport doesn't need a massive shopping complex but it sorely needs a major clean up and modernisation (in the John Frost area).
So you want to remove the bus station and John Frost Square but it shouldn't be a 'major' development? That sounds exactly the same as the development area proposed. This is a golden chance to do joined-up planning. Any scaled-down development wouldn't fulfil your joint aims of removing JF Square and the bus station would it? A smaller development would leave useless areas either side that couldn't be successfully used later on without demolishing the original scaled-down development!
Sadly, it's going to be a catch 22 situation with the Kingsways shopping centre. It's practically empty because John Frost Square is such an awful place and, until this new development is underway, the Kingsway will remain a ghost-town for shops. Jessops has already closed their unit!
Bobevans, Newport says...
5:51pm Tue 7 Jul 09
Brighton_1975 wrote:The building in John Frost Square are an eyesore but it would not cost much to make cossmetic changes to the shops to make the square look quite attractive.
Owain Vaughan wrote: So you want to remove the bus station and John Frost Square but it shouldn't be a 'major' development? That sounds exactly the same as the development area proposed. This is a golden chance to do joined-up planning. Any scaled-down development wouldn't fulfil your joint aims of removing JF Square and the bus station would it? A smaller development would leave useless areas either side that couldn't be successfully used later on without demolishing the original scaled-down development!The ground space would still be the same but in terms of retail units, I would have less and use the remaining space to create a bigger public space. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise that Newport doesn't need a massive shopping complex but it sorely needs a major clean up and modernisation (in the John Frost area). Sadly, it's going to be a catch 22 situation with the Kingsways shopping centre. It's practically empty because John Frost Square is such an awful place and, until this new development is underway, the Kingsway will remain a ghost-town for shops. Jessops has already closed their unit!
They need to do something with the suare itself. Whoever designed that cold and barren empty space ought to be shot but it would not be hard to make it mice a few trees some attractive paving and some well designed kiosk and stalls and no I dont mean a few burger fans & fairground rides parked on it.
Newport seems to excel at using planners and designers with about zero skill.
Look at the old post office site they preserved the attractive old fascade of the building which is now stuck in a totall dead area with a carbuncle Car park built around it and over the road. A truely dreadfull design.
D.G., Newport says...
3:26pm Mon 13 Jul 09
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Brighton_1975, Zooport says...
5:03pm Mon 6 Jul 09
Yes, Newport (sorely) needs and deserves much much more than what they have got but maybe a scaled down development will be just right.
John Frost Square and the bus station still needs to go but we also need to be realistic here and not become too over-ambitious.