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Chartist Tower is a 53.3 metre tall high rise building in west
In September 2018, developers GBE submitted their application for change of use of the Tower to "part hotel, ancillary facilities (gym, conference space, storage space, offices & restaurant) and ground floor coffee shop".
The application further includes "office floor space ..a restaurant ..and external alterations to the facade of Chartist Tower ..and to the retail units fronting Upper Dock Street, Austin Friars (former Units 1-7 & 12-13) and Commercial Street (the former BHS)".
Planning permission was approved on 7 February 2019.
Media reports have suggested the upper floor space will be let to the
Garrison Barclay Estates website
Newport City Council - Planning Online: application 18/0904
Buildings and structures in Newport, Wales Buildings and structures completed in 1966 Landmarks in Newport, Wales
Newport, Wales
Newport ( cy, Casnewydd; ) is a city and Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county borough in Wales, situated on the River Usk close to its confluence with the Severn Estuary, northeast of Cardiff. With a population of 145,700 at the 2 ...
. It was built in 1966, and is the tallest building in the city.
Background
A 250-year long lease was acquired in 2017 byCardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
-based developers Garrison Barclay Estates (GBE) for £6.5m, and the building is now undergoing a £12m redevelopment. It has received investment from the Welsh Government
The Welsh Government ( cy, Llywodraeth Cymru) is the Welsh devolution, devolved government of Wales. The government consists of ministers and Minister (government), deputy ministers, and also of a Counsel General for Wales, counsel general. Minist ...
of loans up to £2 million.
The building is located on Upper Dock Street. The building is accessible from both sides, at its front via the newly built Friars Walk shopping centre as well as at the rear via the historic retail hub in the city, Commercial Street.
The building is expected to re-open following refurbishment by Summer 2019.
Etymology
The building is a tribute to the participants of the 1839Newport Rising
The Newport Rising was the last large-scale armed rising in Wales, by Chartists whose demands included democracy and the right to vote with a secret ballot. On Monday 4 November 1839, approximately 4,000 Chartist sympathisers, under the lead ...
, a key moment in the Chartist political movement. The Newport uprising was a key turning point in the campaign for universal suffrage
Universal suffrage (also called universal franchise, general suffrage, and common suffrage of the common man) gives the right to vote to all adult citizens, regardless of wealth, income, gender, social status, race, ethnicity, or political stanc ...
.
Developers GBE have indicated the building will continue to pay tribute to the 1839 events, with features in the redevelopment referencing the movement and its significance to the city.
Redevelopment
In September 2018, developers GBE submitted their application for change of use of the Tower to "part hotel, ancillary facilities (gym, conference space, storage space, offices & restaurant) and ground floor coffee shop".
The application further includes "office floor space ..a restaurant ..and external alterations to the facade of Chartist Tower ..and to the retail units fronting Upper Dock Street, Austin Friars (former Units 1-7 & 12-13) and Commercial Street (the former BHS)".
Planning permission was approved on 7 February 2019.
Media reports have suggested the upper floor space will be let to the Mercure
Mercure may refer to:
* MERCURE, an atmospheric dispersion modelling CFD code developed by Électricité de France
* Mercure Hotels, a chain of hotels run by Accor
* French ship Mercure (1783), French ship ''Mercure'' (1783)
* Dassault Mercure, a ...
hotel chain, with other 3-4 chain names in discussions, including the Celtic Manor. The site has space for between 120 and 160 bedrooms on site, depending on the developer. There is approximately 30,000 sq. ft of office space and 18,000 sq. ft of ground floor retail space.
Powell Dobson Architects have been appointed to act on the redevelopment, with Bristol based Hydrock providing design consultancy. Cardiff's architectural and interior design practice The IAD Company were appointed as interior designers for the project.
In April 2019 it was announced that the Welsh Government had awarded the project up to £2 million in Visit Wales
Visit Wales ( cy, Croeso Cymru) is the Welsh Government's tourism organisation. Its aim is to promote Welsh tourism and assist the tourism industry.
History
The Wales Tourist Board was established in 1969 as a result of the Development of T ...
and Targeted Regeneration Investment programme loans, with the Deputy Ministers for both Housing and Local Government; as well as Culture, Tourism and Sport, affirming their commitment to the project.}
See also
*Newport city centre
Newport city centre is traditionally regarded as the area of Newport, Wales bounded by the west bank of the River Usk, the George Street Bridge, the eastern flank of Stow Hill and the South Wales Main Line. Most of the city centre is containe ...
References
External links
{{Commons category, Chartist TowerGarrison Barclay Estates website
Newport City Council - Planning Online: application 18/0904
Buildings and structures in Newport, Wales Buildings and structures completed in 1966 Landmarks in Newport, Wales