PROGRESS in the regeneration of Newport city centre has been praised, as several major projects reach completion - but concerns remain about the number of empty shops.

Several regeneration schemes, including restoring the Market Arcade, a new affordable housing scheme at the former site of the Hornblower pub, the opening of the International Convention Centre Wales, as well as the new four-star Mercure Hotel in Chartist Tower, are all on track to be delivered on time, a review has shown.

But concern has also been expressed that such projects can be ‘overlooked’ because of the number of empty shops within the city centre.

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Last year a report from think tank Centre for Cities found Newport city centre has the highest percentage of empty shops of all cities in England and Wales - with more than a quarter of all shops unoccupied.

At a meeting of Newport council’s performance scrutiny committee on Monday, Cllr Miqdad Al-Nuaimi questioned whether the authority could be “more proactive and more imaginative.”

“Lots of good things are happening in Newport but it is kind of overlooked because people see empty shops,” he said. “I know it’s a national issue, but in Newport it is perhaps worse because the city centre is compact.”

Cllr Al-Nuaimi asked whether the council could help businesses with rents as part of a “more proactive” approach.

Cllr Jane Mudd, cabinet member for regeneration and housing, said the authority offers financial support to business start-ups which can contribute towards rent, and other grants for businesses looking to expand.

“It is a really challenging time but many of our businesses grow organically, they innovate and create,” Cllr Mudd said.

Cllr Mudd said the council will look to support the ‘creativity’ of the Newport community, praising last weekend's Our Chartist Heritage Festival as an example.

New housing schemes in the city centre, such as the development at the former Hornblower pub, will also be important to regeneration by increasing “natural surveillance” and making people feel safe, she added.

As council regeneration schemes progress, the Welsh Government has also said it wants to make Newport “the focus for regional growth and investment” in a new national development strategy.

While welcoming the news, Cllr Al-Nuaimi said he was “a little bit perturbed” by Cardiff council’s recent criticism of the idea, suggesting its comments should not have been made publicly.