PROPOSALS by Newport City Council to revamp and revitalise the city centre are "timid" and "short term", the city's Plaid Cymru group has claimed.

The authority unveiled its city centre masterplan, setting out a series of proposals for redeveloping the city centre, in January.

Among the proposals are to encourage more businesses to move into the city centre by increasing the amount of high-quality office space, while regenerating historic buildings such as the Westgate Hotel and improving the attractiveness of the area for tourists.

But, in a response to a consultation into the proposals, the city's Plaid Cymru group has branded the masterplan "short term" and "timid".

Among the alternative proposals put forward by the group are for a new 'transport hub' serving the wider region to be created around the railway station, setting up a bicycle hire scheme, and for the castle to undergo an extensive repair and revamp project.

The group has also suggested offering traders at the Indoor Market more support, revamping buildings along Commercial Street and encouraging more modern development along the riverfront.

The group's city development spokesman Peter Keelan said: “The current city council proposals are too short-term.

"Newport’s problems are not going to be 'fixed’ ready for the next local elections. The council’s current proposals are too timid and show too little ambition and lack any clear joined up thinking as well as indicating a lack of any real coherent strategy or well thought out action-plan."

Other proposals include holding talks with the Victoria and Albert Museum around opening a branch in Newport, establishing a city-wide arts festival and setting up a new sports village around Rodney Parade.

Mr Keelan added: “Our city might be seen by the unambitious as a provincial town somewhere in Britain, but for those with vision it is potentially one of the three great cities in Wales, and can act as the gateway to Wales for visitors to Wales.

"Newport should aim to be a ‘Celtic City of Culture’ to progress in the same ways as cities like Aberdeen, Cork, and Swansea.

"Newport is not and it should not become simply a northern western suburb of Bristol.”

There are no Plaid Cymru members on Newport City Council.

The consultation into the masterplan ends today.

Take part at tinyurl.com/yc4z3uf5