WORK to clear one of Newport's eyesores is going according to plan and should be completed on time at the end of next month.

Buildings along the riverside in the Rodney Parade area are being pulled down as part of the regeneration of the city centre.

The development will include apartments and a footbridge, the design of which was chosen in a poll in the Argus last year.

A fire broke out in the rubble on the site last week and was allowed to burn itself out over a few days, but it has not caused any delay to the work.

A spokesman for the Welsh Development Agency said: "It was decided to begin demolition work as soon as possible on safety and security grounds to remove any potentially dangerous structures.

"In tandem with the demolition work we're discussing property acquisitions by the WDA to assemble the complete site required for the proposed redevelopment of the area - including flooding prevention measures and a riverside walkway, as well as the range of new apartments."

He added the agency would undertake a series of environmental and other assessments to support applications for planning permission.

"The city council and Newport Unlimited are close partners in the project to ensure that aspirations for the development are fulfilled. Provided all proceeds smoothly, we expect that construction of the apartments would begin by early summer of next year."

Meanwhile, work on the new footbridge over the River Usk came a step closer when the proposal was given the go-ahead by the National Assembly this week.

However, the estimated cost of constructing the bridge between the city centre and the east bank of the river, near Colne Street, has risen from £3.9 million to between £4 million and £5 million.

It is hoped that construction work will begin during the summer. Council officers expect to have a more detailed timescale and cost outline within the next two weeks.

The footbridge is one part of the broader plans for the £200 million city centre regeneration.

It is hoped that the project will be finished by 2010, when Newport is to host the Ryder Cup.