Supermarket could replace £90m plan for Newport

A £90m regeneration plan was scrapped last year

A supermarket could re-open on the site of a former shopping centre in Newport that had been due for a £90m facelift.

A plan to demolish the Cambrian Centre to build shops and a 100-metre tower was scrapped last year when developer Modus went into administration.

New owners Scarborough Development Group are now considering building a supermarket on the land, believing it is more economically viable.

There have been plans to regenerate Cambrian Centre going back to 2004.

Retail areas in Newport have been hit hard by the recession. A £200m plan to regenerate the Friar's Walk area was dropped last year when the firm behind the development pulled out.

Scarborough Development Group, which has bought a £37m portfolio of retail development sites across the UK, said plans for Newport were still at the early stages.

It said "preferences centre around food store developments where the opportunity exists".

Many retail areas of Newport have been hit by the recession

Mark Jackson, managing director at Scarborough Development, said: "The food store market is understandably proving to be one of the more robust in this recession, and is a great sector in which to be investing and in which to found our new business."

The Cambrian Centre used to house a Somerfield supermarket before it was closed down to pave the way for regeneration.

A spokesman for Newport City Council said: "The council is extremely pleased to have interest from developers for this key site in the city centre and we are waiting to have detailed discussions with the developer about its intentions.

"Any proposals put forward by the developers will of course be subject to planning applications by Newport City Council."