All the major changes and projects coming up in Newport

From the new-look Newport Market – with its street food court and vibrant entertainment space – to the restoration of a fire-ravaged church, there's plenty to look out for in our changing city.

Let's take a look at some of the biggest projects that will be happening in Newport in future.

New market will draw visitors into city centre

A look inside Newport Market during the £12m renovation project.

One of the biggest and most exciting projects is the renovation of the city's indoor market, which has been closed to the public since the beginning of 2021.

Developers Loft Co are carrying out a £12 million revamp of the market hall, building new attractions such as a street food court, 360-degree cocktail bar, yoga studio and gym, as well as new facilities for stall-holders.

Loft Co boss Simon Baston told the Argus in October the city would receive a "market for the 21st century" that would help draw in visitors from further afield and raise the city centre's profile.

The project is expected to be completed in February 2022 once the new market traders have settled in.

Nearby, a separate project is under way to renovate the city's Market Arcade, and should be completed by mid-January.

Leisure centre will be 'state of the art'

Another major project on the horizon is the construction of the city's new leisure centre, which was granted planning permission in November.

An artist's impression of how the new leisure centre in Newport will look.

That will see the existing leisure centre building – which the health board is using currently as a Covid vaccination centre – demolished and made the site of a new £90 million campus for Coleg Gwent.

The new leisure centre site will only be a stone's throw away, however, and will be built on land slightly further down Usk Way, next to the University of South Wales building.

The plans, by developers Kew Planning, will deliver a "state-of-the-art" facility over three floors, including a 25-metre swimming pool.

There was some disappointment when people found out the new site wouldn't host live music events, however. The old leisure centre has had a proud history of welcoming some superstar names including Sir Elton John and David Bowie. 

Other exciting projects

Other changes that visitors to the city centre should notice in the near future include the opening of the new Mercure Hotel in Chartist Tower, which is also home to the South Wales Argus offices.

Chartist Tower today (left) vs how it could look once the hotel opens.

The 130-bedroom hotel was set to open in early 2020 but has been held up, partly due to the pandemic. It is currently expected to open in “the first quarter of 2022”.

Guests will also be able to visit the hotel's restaurant, complete with an outdoor rooftop terrace area, offering panoramic views of the city.

The Information Station, a hub for public services, is set to move into the Central Library building after planning permission was granted.

Another project nearing completion is the new footbridge for Newport railway station. Workers were busy there over Christmas, using a crane to lift sections of the 500-tonne structure into place.

A section of the new footbridge is lifted over Newport railway station. Picture: Pro Steel Engineering

One of the city's most iconic landmarks, the Transporter Bridge, is also being given a facelift as part of a multi-million pound project funded by the National Lottery and the Welsh Government.

The plans have been several years in the making and will see restoration work on the famous bridge, as well as the construction of a new visitor centre that will include an exhibition space and a cafe.

An artist's impression of the new visitor centre at Newport's Transporter Bridge.

Renovation work also continues apace on the Bethel Community Church building in Stow Hill, which was gutted by fire in June 2018.

Over the past year the Argus has made several visits to the site, which is being restored by Henstaff Construction. Once work is completed, the site will be home to modern facilities, while retaining the same exterior of the church that was built in 1883.

Construction work at Bethel Community Church in Stow Hill, Newport. Picture: Henstaff Construction Ltd

Added to these projects, there are also plenty of residential developments popping up in and around the city centre, from riverside apartments near the George Street Bridge to  the transformation programme set to bring a new lease of life to Ringland – the first phase of the £7.5 million scheme was completed in June and brought 55 new homes to the neighbourhood.

The developers are also hoping to build a modern shopping centre there as part of their wider regeneration plans.

This is part of a series of 'Newport: Our City' articles looking at what makes Newport a special place to live, and what lies in store for the city in the future.