Newport city centre shops improved in flats plan

As part of the plans to convert the upper floors of Albany Chambers, on Skinner Street in the city centre into affordable housing flats, the four ground floor retail units were also set for improvement works.

These plans were approved in March 2018, which paved the way for affordable housing apartments to be built above the existing shops.

And, with the work to build the flats coming to an end, the next stage of the development was rolled out – on the ground floor level.

Plans to refurbish and replace the four shopfronts on Skinner Street, along with minor alterations inside them were submitted to Newport City Council.

The plans, submitted by an agent on behalf of Newport City Homes see three of the four shops remaining, with the fourth turned into the entrance for the nine upstairs flats.

Of the three retail units, two are currently in use – both as hairdressers.

The third – and biggest shop is currently thought to be empty.

At one stage, it was home to telecommunications giants Vodafone, prior to their move into Friars Walk once that development got up and running.

While this work was carried out, it has since transpired that they did not fully match the planning permission that they had recieved.

A new planning application was submitted, seeking retrospective permission for this work.

Assessing this application, the council's historic buildings conservation officer voiced a number of concerns, and did not rule out enforcement action relating to "inappropriate" heavy security shutters at a later date - as these do not form part of the planning application.

But, according to a council planning officer, "it is recognised that while the works undertaken deviate from the approved scheme, they still represent a significant improvement on the shopfronts which were previously in place."

As a result, the plans were approved on Friday, March 11.

How did we get here?

Housing association Newport City Homes provide housing to 20,000 residents, leaseholders and shared owners in the city.

But, in 2017, they took on their first city centre apartment scheme – at Albany Chambers.

Here, they brought the empty upstairs city centre space back to life, turning it into nine affordable housing flats.

Pictures showing the inside of the building - along with the former Vodafone frontage

These project was completed in 2019, and was the first of many in Newport, in terms of converting what has mostly been empty office space, into living accommodation.

As part of the development, Newport City Homes is leasing the retail units on the ground floor.

And, in a bid to make these a more attractive prospect to businesses – as only one was occupied at the time, modernisation and upgrade work was required.

But, given that the building was given Grade-II listed status in 1980, permission to carry out this work was needed.