New street lights and stadium murals planned in city centre revamp

Nicholas Thomas, Local Democracy Reporter

New street lights and murals celebrating the history of a rugby ground are among the first projects to come out of a 15-year regeneration plan.

Newport councillors heard that murals at Rodney Parade are expected to be finished by the end of November, while new lighting around High Street and the indoor market could start to appear in the new year.

A council scrutiny committee was told the authority had secured several “quick wins” under its city centre plan, which was launched a year ago after residents were asked how they would improve central Newport.

Other early proposals include creating spots for buskers and covering empty shopfronts with work by local artists. The council has also bought the former WH Smith building on Commercial Street and plans to replace it with a new public open space.

Senior council officer Tracey Brooks said plans to hang festoon lights around High Street and the market had been delayed because some of the buildings are listed. Residents “should start to see that in the new year”, she said.

The murals, on the back of Rodney Parade’s Candleston Stand, will depict what a committee report called “iconic points in the ground’s history”.

The report also outlined separate proposals by Dragons RFC to redevelop the training area next to the ground, known as the “cabbage patch”. The plans could include padel courts and another pitch.

Cllr Allan Screen welcomed progress on the early projects and described the overall strategy as “ambitious – as it should be”. He asked how confident the council was that it could deliver the longer-term plans.

“It’s a 15-year project so you’re not going to get everything over the line in the first few years,” said Cllr James Clarke, the cabinet member for regeneration.

He said the longer-term plans would depend on securing outside funding.

“Our commitment is to get what we can done, but obviously we need the funding.”