Newport City Council - Development Projects
Current Investment in Newport
Newport has an enviable track record of winning new inward investment and business growth over the last 20 years. Between April 2003 and March 2008 around £641 million of private sector investment was attracted to Newport, creating over 7,000 new jobs.
The City now has an ambitious £2 billion regeneration programme which is well underway and aims to grow the city from a population of 140,000 to 150,000 over the next decade. Although the economic recession has slowed the pace of growth and regeneration, the critical success factors which established Newport as one of the prime investment locations for business in the UK remain in place. This was recognised by Experian Business Strategies in their report in 2007 that ranked Newport 7th in the UK in terms of predicted output growth 2006-2020. A more recent report in 2008 by business property group Lambert Smith Hampton placed Newport 3rd in their index of leading office locations in the UK outside London, on the basis of a range of cost/quality criteria.
Newport was the first local authority in Wales to produce an Economic Development Strategy in the 1980`s, and three - five year strategies have been prepared on a continuous basis ever since. The current Strategy covers the period 2008-2011, with the end date timed to coincide with the end date of the Unitary Development Plan that establishes the land use planning policy framework for the city.
A new Local Development Plan is being prepared that will establish a policy framework up to 2026. This will be aligned with the regional policy context established for South East Wales in the Wales Spatial Plan, which recognises Newport`s strategic role as the Gateway to Wales, with strong connections to the Eastern Valleys and with a particular focus on securing high value development.
In 2010, Newport hosted The Ryder Cup at the prestigious Celtic Manor Resort. The tournament is one of the premier sporting events attracting a world wide media audience. The Ryder Cup was a catalyst for the next phase of growth and regeneration across the city, with a major investment in new infrastructure, city enhancement and promotional initiatives, including a year-round festival of events which has continued into the following years. The legacy for Newport will be a significantly raised profile, major physical improvements and new opportunities for business investment in Newport.
Planned Developments
Celtic Springs Business Park
Major CommercialA state of the art £100million business park on 45 acres, offering offices from 2,500 - 54,000 sq ft with excellent access to the M4 motorway. Almost complete.
Old Town Dock Regeneration
Mixed Use DevelopmentA mixed use development of housing, offices, a 20 hectare riverside park, a new £10 million Ramada Encore hotel, and student accommodation. Already well underway.
