College’s £90m campus ‘on schedule’ but funding yet to be secured

Nicholas Thomas, local democracy reporter

Funding for a new city centre further education college campus is yet to be secured.

Coleg Gwent plans to build the new £90 million campus on Usk Way, on the site of the former leisure and entertainment venue, Newport Centre.

A new city council report states the “required funding from the Welsh Government has not been confirmed to date” but is expected by the end of 2025.

However, the government said funding would be confirmed once a full business case was submitted – and this is currently expected in 2027.

While the impact on the project is described as “low”, the uncertainty over funding is enough for the council to give it an amber rating, meaning there is an element of risk.

A Coleg Gwent spokesperson said the project is “on schedule” and had reached an “important milestone” of completing initial designs and costings.

According to the council – which is supporting the college with “the required consents and permissions” for the project – the outline business case was submitted to the Welsh Government in October.

At a council scrutiny meeting this week, there were concerns about “big delays” to projects because of “decisions at a regional level”.

A senior planning officer reassured the committee there was still plenty of time for detailed proposals to be submitted.

But following the meeting, Cllr Matthew Evans, the council’s opposition leader, expressed frustrations about the extent of progress since outline planning permission was granted in 2022.

“We’ve got an oven-ready site – there have got to be questions about what is holding this back,” he said. “It’s in no-one’s interest for this to drag on.”

The demolition of Newport Centre started in April 2023 but was held up for 40 days because of a nesting seagull, adding £460,000 to the scheme.

The site was later cleared and has hosted the council’s Winter Wonderland ice rink and funfair each Christmas since 2023.

Knowledge Quarter

When it is completed, the new Coleg Gwent campus will form part of the city’s so-called Knowledge Quarter, which also comprises the University of South Wales campus on the opposite side of Usk Way.

A new leisure centre is currently under construction behind the university building.

“Like all major education investments in Wales, the Knowledge Quarter project is subject to a three-stage business case approval process,” a Coleg Gwent spokesperson said. “We are now at the second stage, and the outline business case is being assessed.

“We have had positive engagement with the Welsh Government, and are confident the project will progress to the final design phase.”

The college spokesperson said construction is “on track to begin in mid-2027, with completion and handover planned for opening to learners in 2030”.

“This transformational project will deliver significant benefits for learners and the wider Newport community, and we are excited to see it taking shape,” they said.

A Welsh Government spokesperson added: “Coleg Gwent has submitted an outline business case which is currently being considered.

“Welsh Government funding for the project will be confirmed upon submission and approval of a full business case, which is anticipated during the first half of 2027.”