PLANS for a futuristic walkway over the River Usk in Newport should be with council planners in just two weeks.

Developers have revealed that they are putting the finishing touches to plans for the new £3.9 million footbridge and hope to have the proposals with Newport council by the end of the month.

Argus readers helped pick the unique McAlpine crane design bridge which will span 145 metres across the Usk.

We canvassed your opinion on three designs of the new bridge and received hundreds of votes from readers with the McAlpine design coming out on top.

The time-saving bridge will link the Rodney Parade area of the city with a site on the western bank of the river that lines up with Charles Street.

Pedestrians coming to and from the city centre towards Corporation Road currently have to use either the Town Bridge or George Street Bridge.

The new bridge, which would reach a height of 65 metres - 15 metres higher than George Street Bridge - is certain to create a new landmark and focal point for the ambitious regeneration plans that are set to transform the city centre between now and 2020.

David Ward, director of planning and strategy with regeneration company Newport Unlimited, said the plan should be logged with the council within a fortnight.

The planning committee will then discuss whether to approve it.

The funding for the new bridge is coming from cash pledged to Newport Unlimited from the council and the Welsh Development Agency.

Graham Moore, chief executive of Newport Unlimited, said: "Of all the ideas we presented in the masterplan, the footbridge captured the public's imagination the most. Everybody wanted to see it built."