Newport City Centre

Discipline(s):

The regeneration of Newport is of strategic significance to South East Wales and projects are underway within the city to address this decline. Queensberry Real Estate (QRE) was chosen by Newport City Council as the preferred developer for Friars Walk in May 2011 with GL Hearn appointed as planning consultants. Full Planning consent and Conservation Area consent were secured in March 2012. We continue to advise on conditions and amendments. The 35,000 sq.m. scheme opened in November 2015, anchored by Debenhams and Cineworld with a strong leisure offer and unit retailing.

In April 2005, following a competitive process Newport City Council selected Modus Corovest for a major retail development focussed on John Frost Square. An outline planning consent for a mixed use development scheme including retail, leisure, residential and hotel was secured and landholdings required were assembled by use of the City Council’s Compulsory Purchase Powers. These proposals did not progress due to the economic downturn impacting on the viability and deliverability of the scheme. Queensberry Real Estate (QRE) was chosen as the preferred developer for a new scheme in May 2011. GL Hearn submitted a full application for this mixed use scheme designed by architects Leslie Jones in December 2011 supported by an Environmental Impact Assessment. Consent was granted in March 2012 for the scheme which includes an anchor department store, retail plaza, multiscreen cinema, restaurants and cafes and new bus station.

GL Hearn agreed a planning strategy including pre application consultation and conservation area consent requirements with Newport City Council in order to agree the short timescales for delivery from the outset. Regular meetings with the City Council helped to maintain their engagement.

Early engagement with statutory consultees is vital to ensuring that issues are dealt with early within the design of the scheme. Fortnightly design team meetings helped the project maintain momentum and identify potential risks to the project at early stages.