PLANS to transform an area on the edge of Newport city centre into a new ‘suburb’, featuring a 10-storey tower, were unveiled today.

The 12-acre site at Newport’s Old Town Dock is planned to have retail, leisure and office space as well as a health centre, houses and apartments built by developer Sennybridge.

The plan also would also see an organisation set up in the area to support social enterprises and deliver training. They would also be provide an ‘innovative sustainable’ transport scheme, with a mini-fleet of electric cars for shared use by residents, developers say.

The plans promise "safe walking and cycling areas" with "appropriate vehicle access and parking provision" for commercial and residential areas. The developers say the building design is "contemporary" but also recognises the character of the local area and added that they are committed to high quality construction and energy efficient buildings throughout the scheme.

The scheme will now be submitted for planning permission in the Autumn.

Mike Joyce of Sennybridge said: “Old Town Dock has become an important part of the wider regeneration of Newport, with some high quality development and public spaces created in the last few years. It was important to us that the vision for this sustainable suburb sat comfortably alongside these areas but also had its own identity and sense of place.”

Councillor John Richards, cabinet member for regeneration and development at Newport City Council said; “The redevelopment of Newport is starting to gather momentum and this news represents a positive step for this part of the city. These are exciting plans and we will be pleased to continue working with Newport Unlimited and the developers as this scheme progresses.”

The proposed phasing of the scheme would see a landmark building at the north end of the scheme, along with an initial phase of 45 apartments, two and three-bedroom houses completed in time for occupation in early 2015. It is anticipated that the full scheme will take six years to complete.

The Town Dock, as it was originally known, was built in 1842 and the reclamation of the area was one of the first projects undertaken by Newport Unlimited when it was formed in 2003.