News and features about Newport regularly updated
Police appeal following fatal collision
Feb 26 – Police are appealing for witnesses following a fatal road traffic collision in Newport. Officers were called to a collision involving a pedestrian and a car on Stow Park Avenue, Newport at around 3.55pm on Tuesday 24 February.
The pedestrian, an 87-year-old woman from Newport, was taken to hospital and sadly pronounced dead; her next of kin have been informed. Police are continuing to investigate the collision and are appealing for any witnesses to come forward.
Anyone with relevant information, including CCTV or dashcam footage, is asked to contact them via their website, call 101 or DM them on our Facebook.
Council leaders promote big infrastructure budget
Feb 25 – Newport City Council’s Labour leadership are promoting a big commitment to infrastructure spending in their 2026/27 budget. Additional finance (£6 million) from Welsh Government has boosted Council finances ahead of the new financial year. The expenditure plan includes an additional £12 million for road improvements, £300k for road safety, an extra £1.5 million for highway repairs and an extra £500k for highway schemes. The Council Tax increase will be 4.9 per cent. The Conservatives tabled a defeated amendment at last night’s Council meeting calling for a reduction in planned additional expenditure and a 3.7 per cent increase in Council Tax. The Council leader Dimitri Batrouni claimed the infrastructure investment was the biggest in Newport’s history and was the result of listening to resident’s concerns.
New Costa / planning news
Feb 19 – A new Costa Coffee shop has opened in the main Sainsbury’s store. The new store will initially create seven jobs. A new coffee and vinyl store set to open in Newport is advertising for staff, the advert states “We are a new independent vinyl café and bar opening soon in Newport, and we’re looking for barista / all rounder team members to join us. You’ll be serving coffee, food and drinks during the day and evenings, supporting both our café and bar operations. Our shop will also sell records and music is at the heart of the café. ” The postcode is the same as the Octopus Lounge near Usk Way.
Plans are finally progressing for the 149 home Hedyn development for the Old Town Dock (near the Blains Wharf) with drainage provisions before the Council. In addition, 30 apartments are planned on a former commercial site at Crawford Street in Maindee. In addition, plans are progressing for a residential care/assisted living facility at the development on the former Whiteheads steelworks site.
Rail investment confirmed
Feb 18 – A generational UK Government commitment to modernise Welsh rail including seven new station is set to support 12,000 jobs across Wales. The Welsh and UK Government’s plan sets out a long-term commitment that they say will put an end to chronic underinvestment in Welsh rail infrastructure.
The Prime Minister formally endorsed the £14 billion Transport for Wales vision for the future of Welsh rail today including stations at Magor, Llanwern, Newport East (Somerton) and Newport West. Work on the stations will begin later this year with Magor expected to open first in 2029. The stations are expected to provide half hourly services to Newport and Cardiff with separate hourly services to Cheltenham and to Bristol Temple Meads.
Tyre company expands into Newport
Feb 18 – One of the UK’s largest independent tyre wholesalers is set to expand into Wales after purchasing a £7.75 million warehouse in a deal brokered by global real estate firm JLL.
Oak Group supplies more than 6,000 tyre fitters and retailers with tyres, consumables and accessories. Operating from seven warehouses nationwide, the company maintains stock of over 900,000 tyres.
The business has now secured a 155,150 sq ft logistics facility at Queensway Meadows Industrial Estate in Newport. The site was previously occupied by production company Urban Myth Films and had formerly been used as a television studio.
Winter creative art initiative
Feb 16 – Parkinson’s UK are publicising a new creative arts and wellbeing project which has been launched to help more communities in Newport and South Wales to live well in winter.
Delivered by local arts and creative company, Das Clarks, the sessions are designed to be a friendly and relaxing way to enjoy painting, crafts and performance arts.The classes last for 90 minutes and are designed for all ages and abilities to take part, regardless of experience. Anyone with a connection to Parkinson’s, including relatives, carers and members of the community are also welcome to join in.
Cannabis haul found in city centre flat
Feb 13 – Police officers uncovered 240 cannabis plants in a city centre flat after receiving intelligence about a potential crime. When officers searched the property on 27 November of last year, they discovered 119 plants in one room, 65 in another and 56 in a third room and lighting equipment at the address in Commercial Street. Officers arrested a man inside the property and recovered two mobile phones.
Hung Phan, 29, pleaded guilty to producing a controlled drug of class B – cannabis, when he appeared for sentencing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday 12 February.He received a sentence of nine months.
PC Oliver Grimas, the officer in the case, said:”I want to reassure all residents, businesses, staff and visitors that we’re working together with our partners to make life better in Newport city centre for everyone. We receive regular intelligence from within the city centre that our teams analyse, investigate and act upon and we’re grateful for the continued support of our residents.”
UK Town of Culture Bid for Caerleon
Feb 12 – Newport’s senior councillors have backed Caerleon in a bid to become the UK’s first Town of Culture. The winning town will receive £3 million to set up and organise cultural events in 2028. At the Cabinet meeting, Cllr Jason Hughes – who also represents the Caerleon ward – called the town “one of the most remarkable places in Wales”.
Key roadworks underway /pothole update
Feb 12 – Resurfacing work on Malpas Road starts this weekend. Phase 1 of the work is taking place from the Barrack Hill footbridge to the Goodrich Crescent junction. This work will take place from 8pm on Friday 13 February until 5am on Monday 16 February.
During these times, to facilitate this work, Malpas Road will be closed to all through vehicle traffic from the Harlequin roundabout to the M4 junction 26 roundabout. Pedestrian access will remain available at all times.
In addition, problem potholes on Somerton Road and Fairfax Road have been filled by the Council this week. Resurfacing of this road is planned for June.
NHS surgery management changes
Feb 12 – Aneurin Bevan Health Board has confirmed that the NHS has taken back control of the contract for three surgeries run by the eHarley health group. This includes the surgery at Lliswerry.
Food festival date confirmed
Feb 11 – This year’s Newport Food Festival will take place on October 3. It will be similar in scale to last year’s event. Traders have until April 27 to register.
Plaid indicates it will cut Newport funding
Feb 6 – Newport’s council leader Dimitri Batrouni has hit out at Plaid Cymru pledges to revise the local government funding formula that will inevitably cut allocations to larger towns and cities. Plaid’s Peredur Owen Griffiths stated in a Senedd debate recently that the party, if elected, will will “look into renewing and reforming the local government funding formula so that it is fair and reflects the realities of serving larger rural populations”. Inevitably this would result in reductions in spending on key services for cities such as Newport and Cardiff.
Cllr Batrouni said “everyone supports a funding floor for our rural authorities, but cutting cities is not a growth agenda. It is deeply worrying Plaid are looking to starve Newport, and other Welsh cities, of funding,” the council leader alleged. “It is economic madness to cut funding for our cities, which contain the most people and drive the Welsh economy….“I would have expected Plaid’s leading candidate for Casnewydd Islwyn to be fighting for our city to have the funds it needs to match our expansion,”. “Sadly, and very disappointingly, the opposite seems to be happening.”
£20 million boost for Newport
Feb 5 – The Government has awarded £20million Pride in Place funding to be spent in Newport from 2027 onwards. Designed to build stronger communities, create thriving places and empower local people, the funding stream is one of the planks of the UK government’s local growth programme.
It asked councils to propose a target area for interventions which will receive funding of £20 million over 10 years, mainly for capital projects.And today the government approved Newport’s Pride in Place “neighbourhood” which comprises the city centre along with some areas in the adjoining Maindee and Pill wards.
Malpas Road resurfacing set for mid-February
Feb 2 – The initial stage of resurfacing of a key part of Newport’s infrastructure is set to start in the next two weeks.
Malpas Road (between Brynglas Road and Harlequin roundabout) will be closed from 20:00 on Friday 13 February 2026 until 4:40 on Monday 16 February 2026 and from 20:00 on Friday 20 February until 4:40 on Monday 23 February 2026.
As a result, there will be some disruption to bus services and delays.
Newport has top five recycling rate
Feb 2 -Newport has been confirmed as one of the top five areas in Wales for recycling.It comes as Welsh government publish the annual recycling figures for Welsh councils for the 2024-25 financial year.Newport’s rate of 71.4 per cent sees it ranked fifth out of the 22 council areas for 2024-25.
The rate is the highest ever recycling figure recorded in Newport, and meant that the city easily met a target of 70 per cent set by Welsh government.The figure positions Newport as one of the best performing cities in Wales and the UK for recycling. The average recycling rate for UK councils is 44.6 per cent.
“We knew that our recycling efforts would place us among the best performing areas in the country, so to have that confirmed is brilliant news,” said Councillor Yvonne Forsey, cabinet member for climate change, waste and recycling.
“We have pushed really hard over the last few years to increase our recycling levels, and today’s announcement shows we are going in the right direction.I would like to reiterate my thanks to our residents and businesses for all of their efforts.”
Newport men in court and jailed
Jan 30 – The following Newport men have recently been found guilty and sentenced following serious criminal offences.
A man linked to up to £30,000 worth of drugs has been jailed for more than five and a half years. Jacob Richards, from Newport, was sentenced at Newport Crown Court on Wednesday 28 January after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A (heroin) and two counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A (cocaine and crack cocaine)The 29-year-old used the home address of a couple in Risca to supply Class A drugs believing the property would be inconspicuous. They were also found guilty, receiving suspended sentences.
Anthony Bowyer was sentenced to nine years in prison after being found guilty of rape. The 38-year-old from Newport, was found guilty of rape and intimidation of a witness following a trial at Newport Crown Court in October.
Police officers began investigating Bowyer in January 2025, following a report from concerned hospital staff. While speaking to officers, the victim disclosed the attack and that the defendant had also turned up at her house after he had raped her while she slept and that he had sent her threatening and abusive emails.He was sentenced to nine years imprisonment at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday 23 January. He is also subject to a 10-year restraining order not to contact the woman.
A man who went undetected for nearly three decades has been jailed thanks to a major forensic breakthrough.Richard Downey was sentenced to eight years in prison with an extended licence period of two years at Newport Crown Court on Friday 23 January after being found guilty of two counts of indecent assault and inciting a child under 16 to commit an act of gross indecency.
Early evening in September 1997, Downey – aged 26 at the time – attacked a-then 13-year-old schoolgirl who was walking home on a secluded footpath near Blackwood.
Apartment plan for old tax office
Jan 22 – Plans are progressing for the old tax office on Chepstow Road. The former Crown Buildings are set to be converted into 56 flats with associated car parking spaces, EV charging and motorcycle parking.
in other news the disused petrol station on the corner of Cardiff Road opposite the Royal Gwent is set to be a petrol station today with associated EV charging options. A huge solar installation with 70 panels is planned for the Civic Centre to assist with a reduction in energy bills at the site.
update – Smiggle has confirmed it will not renew its lease on its store in Friars Walk and has closed. Recent footfall figures showed a healthy increase in city centre footfall.
Renewable installs in city up by 9.8 per cent
Jan 22 – Renewable installations in Newport increased by 9.8 per cent in 2025. Statistics provided by the Microgeneration Certificate Scheme show there were 827 domestic installations of solar panels and batteries in 2025 compared to 753 in 2024. Just under 5,000 households in Newport now have renewables, potentially saving over £500 per year on their energy bills.
Four arrested after drugs raids’
Jan 16 – Police officers arrested four people this morning as part of an investigation into the supply of class A drugs in Newport and Torfaen.
Around 60 officers carried out early-morning warrants today at five addresses in Newport and Cwmbran.
They recovered a large quantity of suspected cocaine and cannabis, a large quantity of cash, more than 20 mobile phones, electronic devices, designer clothes and an electric bike from the addresses. They arrested three men from Newport – aged 29, 27, and 24; and a 28-year-old man from Cwmbran.
Somerton pothole work is ‘urgent’
Jan 13 – Lliswerry councillors have asked for more urgent attention to be paid to a pothole black spot in their area.
Somerton Road is an ‘unacceptable condition’ following recent poor weather. The Council confirmed it will be resurfaced in June but the road has been the focus of numerous complaints and members have asked for much more immediate attention given the impact on public safety.
4.9 per cent Council Tax increase planned
Jan 9 – Newport City Council’s draft budget likely 4.9 per cent increase in Council Tax in 2026/27 alongside what it describes as ‘substantial’ increase in investment in frontline services. The increase would push up average bills for local government, police and fire services by £100 per annum or just under £2 per week. Leader Dimitri Batrouni stated “Here is Newport’s draft budget proposals. Given our exponential growth as a city, we will heavily invest in our frontline services – those services that matter most to our residents. If passed, this draft budget will go out for consultation to residents.” Among the investments is an increase of 10.6 per cent in Social Care costs for children, 9.6 per cent for housing and homelessness and 5.6 per cent for schools.
Police identify suspects in city centre burglary probe
Jan 9 – Police are investigating a series of burglaries at retail andcommercial premises in and around Newport city centre over the festive period.
Gwent Police said they received reports of four burglaries affecting businesses in the city centre and nearby areas between Thursday 25 December and Wednesday 7 January. Police confirmed they have identified and charged two suspects as part of their enquiries. Two men aged 40 and 35 appeared before City magistrates on 8 and 9 January respectively.