DEMOLITION work will begin on one of Newport's most well-known buildings this week.

Contractors have been spotted setting up a fence around the Newport Centre, in Usk Way, which closed recently after years serving the city as a swimming pool, leisure centre and entertainment venue.

Newport City Council documents show the dismantling and demolition of the centre has been given the thumbs-up to begin this week, and is scheduled to be completed in early September.

There will be some disruption to traffic and pedestrians while the work goes on.

The centre is being demolished to make way for a new Coleg Gwent campus, and the city council has approved plans for a new "state-of-the-art" leisure centre, complete with swimming pool, to be built a stone's throw away, on the other side of Usk Way, on land next to the University of South Wales building.

Today, Tuesday, a fenced area has been put up between Newport Centre and the Kingsway shopping centre car park.

A small area has been kept open to the public for pedestrian access past the site.

Only contractors can access the small road and parking area in front of the Newport Centre entrance.