PLANS to build a food courtyard out of repurposed storage containers in Newport have been blocked.

If approved, an overflow carpark at the What! Stores retailer in the Rogerstone area of the city would have been transformed.

Plans show that the space, located on Chartist Drive, would have been completely repurposed, with storage units being brought in to house street food vendors.

It also shows that a central, covered seating area would also have been installed here.

In total, it is suggested that there would be 10 containers for food vendors, along with four others, for bathroom and storage facilities.

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Supporting planning materials show that the courtyard would be called Chartist Yard, and it is suggested that live music, open cinema nights, and other events could also be held here.

The application also suggests that the venue would be licensed to serve alcohol from many of the containers, along with the variety of food types.

If plans were to be approved, the application suggests that it would create the equivalent of 40 full time jobs, and would be open for business from 7am to midnight, Monday through Friday, and 9am to midnight on Saturdays, and 10am to 11pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Documents show that these plans were submitted to Newport City Council by Carolyn Jones Planning Services, on behalf of the applicant – What Plus Ltd.

It is also suggested that the applicant is hoping to expand this operation to Newport city centre in 2022, Cwmbran in 2023, Caerphilly in 2024, before considering several potential Cardiff sites in 2025.

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But last week the council refused the plans.

According to the planning officer’s report, the site currently has 14 more parking spaces than a facility of its size would need, but the new plans would need an additional 56 parking spaces in order to be viable.

However, the installation of the food courtyard would also take away 35 spaces, leaving the Chartist Way site 77 spaces short of what would be needed – with potential for yet more parking needed should events be held here.

Newport City Council’s head of city services also offered up an objection, stating that a new boundary wall as part of these plans could impact on local authority owned trees which border the property.

The planning officer report has also noted that the applicant “has not demonstrated need for the proposed development and nor has the application demonstrated that there are no sequentially preferable sites within the city centre or other defined centres”.