Newport Council leader coy on future plans for city regeneration

Newport’s council leader has described the city as “pro-business” but remains tight-lipped on his authority’s regeneration plans.

Cllr Dimitri Batrouni said the preparation of plans to revive the city “take time” and wouldn’t be unveiled until later the year.

He was responding to a question from the opposition leader, Cllr Matthew Evans, who asked on Tuesday what the city council was doing to fill empty units in the city centre.

Cllr Evans noted the old Admiral building, and the new office building – which has stood unused since it was built – on the site of the former Royal Mail sorting office in Mill Street.

He said Cardiff had reportedly recorded its highest levels of office space takeup in recent years, and asked why Newport “can’t fill these units”.

Cllr Batrouni replied: “We’re ahead of you, but we won’t share the details until six months’ on.”

Cllr Evans also congratulated the council leader for his position on a proposed tourism tax.

The Welsh Government wants to introduce a levy, likely in 2027, charging visitors to stay overnight in Wales.

Under those plans, councils would be given the option to enforce the levy within their regions – but Cllr Batrouni has distanced Newport from taking up the policy.