Shopping centre plans radical makeover to bring ‘renewed vitality’ to city centre

Nicholas Thomas – Local Democracy Reporter

A city shopping centre could be in line for a radical makeover to usher in “renewed vitality and purpose”.

The lower ground floor of The Kingsway Centre in Newport has stood largely empty since Wilko closed down in September 2023.

The loss of “anchor” store Wilko, along with wider changes in the city centre, have prompted the Kingsway’s new owner, the Bristol-based Boyce group, to look beyond retail as it plans for a successful future.

Reviving the space vacated by Wilko last year will give the Kingsway “a significant opportunity to infuse the centre with renewed vitality and purpose”, according to a design statement by planning agents Sustainable Studio Architects, on behalf of the centre’s new owner.

More “diverse” uses of the space – such as for food and drink, financial, or professional services – mean the shopping centre can “enhance its role as a vibrant hub within the city”.

Online shopping

Other additions could include leisure and educational facilities, in a bid to tackle “shifts in consumer patterns” including the inexorable rise of online shopping.

The 2021 closure of Newport’s Debenhams – the “anchor store” for the nearby Friars Walk shopping centre – “underscores the need for flexibility”, the agents said.

Describing the planned space as “flexible” and “non-restrictive”, the agents claim the proposals have already attracted early interest from businesses and leisure service providers.

Shopping would not be sidelined, however, with the agents praising Newport city centre’s “positive reputation for hosting smaller independent stores”.

The preservation of smaller retailers is of “paramount” importance, they added.

But Newport has also faced an economic downturn, having a “challenging impact” on the city centre in recent years.

The agents argue that opening up the former Wilko space for a new, varied offer to customers will enhance footfall and “mitigate” any perceptions of decline in central Newport and be a “catalyst for positive change”.

The application for change-of-use planning permission is currently out for consultation, and can be viewed on the Newport City Council website under reference 24/0644.