City Spires, or City Ex-Spires?

27 Jan 2012

By Pippa Bartolotti

It’s great news that Newport will be host to a new influx of jobs provided by Admiral Insurance. It is reported that there could be employment for up to 1200 people in the town, and very welcome it is too. That 1200 would provide a real boost to the local economy, and the positive knock on effect to jobs in the town could be 3 times that in terms of goods and services in the town centre. So we are more than delighted with the news.

However, there is one dark point - the building. Outline sketches show a horrid concrete and blue box, the likes of which are cheerfully demolished in most other towns. This building is about as far as you can get from the original City Spires plans for Newport, and it is definitely not good enough.

A building of this size is a landmark, a construction of future heritage, and should be something to be proud of. Instead we are given an ugly eyesore showing not one glimmer of innovation or quality.

Newport people deserve so much better. We have been plagued by monstrosities for decades. Cheap building materials and bad design have squandered the cultural backdrop of a beautiful historic heart.

Newport City Council : Wake up and polish your glasses. We need the jobs, but we do not need to be harmed by this type of building. Give us something to be proud of - and whatever you decide - don’t make it blue!

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/business-in-wales/business-news/2012/01/13/new-admiral-office-seen-as-a-vote-of-confidence-in-newport-91466-30112852/
The original plan: http://www.newport.gov.uk/_dc/index.cfm?fuseaction=citycentre.homepage&contentid=CONT061295