Friars Walk

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Friars Walk is a £210m shopping centre currently under construction in Newport city centre.

It covers an area bounded by Kingsway, Upper Dock Street and the existing Kingsway Shopping Centre. The plan includes parts of John Frost Square and the bus station. A key feature of the development will be to bring together Newport's riverfront and commercial centre, allowing people to walk easily between the two areas. This also extends to the east bank of the river by means of the River Usk footbridge.

The entire complex should be completed in late 2009 — in time for the thousands of visitors expected to visit the city for the 2010 Ryder Cup.

[edit] Details

A mixed-use development including retail, leisure, residential, public spaces, cafés and restaurants.
A total of 388,000 sq ft of retail including a 105,000 sq ft Debenhams department store.
12,500 sq ft of restaurants.
6,000 sq ft health club.
47,000 sq ft multi-screen cinema.
241 city centre residential units including a 17-storey tower.
A four-star 96-bedroom hotel.
Improved car parking facilities for up to a total of 1,400 cars
A reconfigured airport-style bus station.

[edit] How it will look

The main element of the scheme is a two-tiered mall made up of High Street retailers and independents. The jewel in the crown will be a 105,000 sq ft Debenhams department store. The shopping centre or 'Galleria' will be curved in design and covered by a glass canopy at the highest level. The top floor of the Galleria will feature cafés, bars and restaurants, including a roof terrace.

The frontage to Kingsway Boulevard and River Usk will be landscaped with a new public space, Usk Plaza, formed at the waterfront. The riverfront will be a place where people come to eat, drink and watch the world go by.

Pedestrian links across the site are achieved via Llanarth Street and Austin Friars — both of which are extended eastwards and developed to connect with the riverfront. Austin Friars will connect with the riverside via a two-storey atrium through the base of the residential tower.

The bus station will be a totally new facility fully-integrated with the Galleria. John Frost Square will also be remodelled and connected to the riverfront. It will remain an important public space for public events and civic activities. Water forms a key part of the scheme with numerous water features spread about the city centre linking together the various areas and reinforcing the importance of the River Usk.