AMBITIOUS plans to knock down the Newport Centre and replace it with a college campus - as well as build a new leisure centre on a nearby site in the city centre - have been announced.

And these are the first amazing images of what the two projects could look like.

Newport City Council is planning to open a public consultation on the plans, which would lead to a new £90 million college campus in the city centre.

The plans would see the Newport Centre - which is said to be beyond viable repair - knocked down, with the site transferred to Coleg Gwent for a new city centre campus.

And a new leisure and wellbeing facility is proposed on a vacant site on Usk Way which would replace facilities at the 36-year-old Newport Centre.

Newport City Council’s cabinet will meet next week to decide on opening a consultation on the plans.

A council report says up to £2.5m would be needed to reopen the pool area of Newport Centre to the public, and an additional £9.1m to maintain the building in the medium term.

So instead, a modern, purpose-built leisure and well-being centre is proposed to replaced it, on the vacant site overlooking the River Usk, next to the existing University of South Wales building.

Improved facilities including an up-to-date swimming pool, fitness suite, health and fitness areas and a cafe would be included in the new centre.

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The plans also involve the relocation of Coleg Gwent’s Nash Road campus, which

the council says would bring hundreds of students into the city centre.

A new 20,000 square metre campus would include teaching space, science and technology labs, hair, beauty and catering facilities, staff and welfare areas, together with workshop space for a wide range of courses.

Around 2,000 students would be based at the new campus which, situated close to the University of South Wales, would form the long talked about Newport Knowledge Quarter.

The total cost of the leisure project is estimated at £19.7m, including around £8m from a phased reduction in the subsidy paid to Newport Live, and around £4m from council reserves. An application to the Welsh Government has also been made.

Council leader Cllr Jane Mudd said: “The benefits associated with this opportunity cannot be underestimated, from increased footfall to sustain our businesses, new environmentally sustainable, modern and accessible leisure and learning facilities, and the delivery of the council’s commitment to provide a Knowledge Quarter in the heart of our city.”

Conservative group leader Cllr Matthew Evans welcomed the plans, although he voiced regret that Newport Centre has not received more investment over recent years.

“It was a famous venue for gigs and other events and it’s a great shame it has been left to rot over the years,” he said.

“But having said that they are proposing to build a new environmentally friendly one and that is fantastic news.”

The public consultation is planned to run from December 17-January 29.