Council moves to purchase ‘ugly’ building as part of regeneration plan

Nicholas Thomas, Local Democracy Reporter

Senior councillors have backed plans to buy and demolish a “rather ugly” city centre building, saying the move could support wider regeneration efforts.

Newport City Council is set to purchase a three-storey property at 166–168 Commercial Street, formerly occupied by WH Smith, with the intention of demolishing it.

The authority plans to fund the £455,000 acquisition using money from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, which is due to come to an end.

Cabinet members approved the proposal at a meeting on Wednesday, arguing the move would help revitalise the city centre and address an oversupply of commercial units.

James Clarke, the council’s cabinet member for regeneration, said the plan aligned with efforts to reshape the high street.

He told colleagues there was an “oversupply” of commercial units in the city centre, adding that Newport’s position was “probably like any town or city in the UK”.

The council believes removing the building will create opportunities for future development and improve the appearance of a key part of the city centre.

The proposal forms part of wider regeneration plans aimed at encouraging investment and increasing footfall in Newport’s central shopping area.

The council launched a placemaking plan for the city centre last year, setting out how it wants to improve the look and feel of the area, attract more visitors and usher in prosperity.

But those plans come with a recognition that the golden age of high street shopping has come and gone, and the city centre cannot rely solely on retail if it is to be successful.

Limited powers

Empty commercial units stand out in the city centre, and the council has only limited powers to take action to improve properties when the vast majority of them are in private ownership.

Buying the empty building is a risk, admitted council leader Dimitri Batrouni, but he said “I would argue quite strongly it’s a bigger risk doing nothing”.

“Many people think Newport Council owns the high street,” he said. “The world is shifting markedly. It’s no one’s fault.

“What do we do – sit on our hands or take active steps to change the city centre?”

Demolition of the building is not guaranteed – once it buys the property, the council will consider various options but a report already suggests that knocking it down is the likely outcome.

Following the meeting, Cllr Clarke said: “By taking advantage of an opportunity to purchase this block, we can then look at the best way to use the site in the future that will bring benefits to that area. At the moment, these rather ugly buildings are an eyesore and are only likely to deteriorate further.

“They do not meet current demand for retail because of their size and one unit has been vacant for a considerable time. A significant amount of work would be required to bring them up to modern standards.

“We are not closing our minds to any alternative use but, at the moment, it appears demolition would be the best option so the space could be used in a new way.”