Newport’s WH Smith demolition backed in bid to tackle empty shops

Senior councillors have backed a plan to demolish the former WH Smith building in Newport, as part of wider ambitions to breathe new life into the city centre.

The city council bought the empty property at 166-168 Commercial Street earlier this year in a bid to tackle vacant units in Newport’s main shopping area.

A new public open space has been earmarked for the site after it is cleared – although proposals are at a very early stage.

Cllr James Clarke, the cabinet member for regeneration, said a report weighing up various options for the building concluded demolition was a “clear” preference, because any other ideas were “simply not commercially viable”.

He told cabinet colleagues there had been “no interest from potential new occupiers for a number of years, and we also need to acknowledge that there are other vacant units in the close area that are in a much better condition”.

Cabinet members stressed demolition was not the “easy option”, partly owing to the listed building status of the former Wildings shop next door, but argued the proposal for a new open space aligned with the council’s wider placemaking plan for reinvigorating central Newport.

Cllr Emma Stowell-Corten noted that plan had been drawn up following consultation with the public on how they wanted the local authority to invest in the city centre.

“This is a really positive step – it shows that we are listening to and working with residents,” she said of the plans for the Commercial Street site.

“It’s important to reshape and redesign the city centre”, said Cllr Saeed Adan, adding the council had previously received “complaints from residents about empty buildings”.

He called the demolition proposal “the most reasonable and commercially viable decision” for the site.

Cllr Clarke added the costs and sources of funding to demolish the building “have not yet been confirmed and are subject to detailed surveys”.

The city council’s leader, Cllr Dimitri Batrouni, said the authority would take a “strong” stance on its role in “starting the evolution of the city centre”.

“A lot of residents still believe – and are misinformed – that the council owns the city centre,” he told colleagues.

“We do not – [but] where we can, we will try to take ownership to reshape a city centre that’s fit for the 21st century.” 

Cllr Batrouni also branded criticisms of the council’s regeneration plans as “anti-Newport” voices.

“They don’t actually want progress, they just want negativity,” he added.