£35m campus building work begins

Advertisement

A simulation of a walk through the new University of Wales, Newport campus.

Construction work has begun on a £35m riverside university campus in Newport city centre.

The new campus for the University of Wales Newport will be home to two academic schools - business and parts of the art, media and design school.

The development will help it cope with a 12% rise in student numbers.

Film director Ken Russell left his handprints and autograph in concrete on the site to mark the start of the building work.

The campus, which will house the digital media, film and design elements of the Newport School of Art, Media and Design, is the first phase of an intended £50m development.

The university has received funding for it from Newport council and the Welsh Assembly Government.

It is hoped the new campus will help to regenerate the area next to the River Usk.

Mr Russell, who is a visiting professor at the university's film school, said: "I think the city centre campus is a brilliant idea - and the sooner it's completed and producing tomorrow's film-makers, artists and entrepreneurs the better."