Darwin Drive Neighbourhood Watch set up

Residents in Darwin Drive and the surrounding streets have set up a Neighbourhood Watch.

Mo Docking of Darwin Drive was the catalyst for the venture and she was amazed at how many people shared her views. Many residents have lived in the area since it was built and their aims are to return the area to the friendly and pleasant neighbourhood that they remember.

Go to full report and slide show

Focus on Malpas Residents Harold Ridsdale War Hero/ Football Star We pay tribute to a Malpas resident Harold Ridsdale who was awarded a Military Medal by General Bernard Montgomery (right) for bravery in World Warr II and then went on to thrill thousands of Newport football fans playing for Lovells with superb dribbling skills and goal scoring brilliance. Go to the Ridsdale story See the Press clippings

LATEST: £789 raised : Callum's Japanese Garden. The latest figure for Callum's fundraising event for Latch, The Welsh Children's Cancer Charity is £789.01. If you would like to donate go to Latch Wales and say you are responding to Callum's appeal. Go to report

Hallow'een Theft
One of our favourite residents is Mr Thain of Pilton Vale. He lives next door to Callum. Last year he was given some pumpkin seeds. When he was younger he was a keen gardener with a large plot but has no room at his current address. But he still loves to work in the garden and because he had never grown pumpkins before he decided to give them a try. He was amazed when they took over his front lawn and started to grow into three huge specimens. His three grandchildren were also thrilled and each selected one for Hallow'een. Unfortunately someone stole the largest pumpkin. He did not want to lose the others and disappoint all his grandchildren so his son rigged up an alarm system with wires. This worked and the other two grew to an enormous size as you can see.

If you See Something: Say Something
In New York they are taking public participation seriously. There is a similar perception in the USA that reporting issues to the police or council does not lead to action. This is a circular argument. If the authorities are unaware of the issues how can they act?

In Manhattan they have posters on transport systems everywhere urging affirmative action from its citizens. If residents see something such as abandoned packages, suspicious behaviour or anything else that might lead to problems they are asked to contact a guard or a police officer. It is working!

Fortunately this is also the case in Malpas. The majority of our residents keep us and the Police well informed about local problems.

Dumping
A resident in the Firs contacted at the start of July with information about dumping of the bundles of the Weekly Argus on the old railway embankment behind Grove Park.

We have waited for 10 weeks for the Argus to act on this dumping. In exasperation we visited this beautiful and much used nature trail to record the dumped material - some being there for a quite few years.

We counted over 70 bundles of papers and boxes of advertising material. The latter of course being paid for by advertisers for the Argus to deliver to Malpas homes. One leaflet advertising Going for Gold was paid for by Newport City Council. Go to slide show of dumping.

Several other people have also told us about dumped Argus' at various other places around Malpas.

What we say is: If you See Something, Say Something

Town Centre Shopping Centre Development

The prospect of a top quality department store and associated shops moved a step closer after the Developers, Modus Corovest were appointed for the scheme. We are cautiously optimistic after many false dawns but this looks to be a serious development at last. The City Council issued the following press release.

Developers appointed for £200 million city centre transformation Modus Corovest (Newport) Ltd have been awarded the contract to redevelop Newport’s city centre. The plan includes 388,500 sq ft of retail space, a department store, restaurants, cafés and bars, a multi-screen cinema, car-parking facilities for up to 1,400 cars, 137 residential apartments including a 17 storey residential tower and a Health Club. The retail scheme will also bring the riverside area and commercial centre together allowing people to walk between the two via a new footbridge. The river frontage will also be landscaped with a new public space provisionally called Usk Place. The space will link to the new footbridge proposed across the River Usk. It is hoped work will start on the site towards the end of 2006 and take 3 or 4 years to complete.

Dianne Wins Best Garden competition

Congratulations to Mrs Diane Fletcher of Larch Grove Malpas. Dianne has won two prestigious Newport in Bloom" awards for her beautiful garden. She was first in Class One " Best Front Garden" and first in Class 13 "Best Residential Wildlife Garden".

For more pictures go to Best Garden page.

Jumping in July puts Malpas on the Map

The music festival organised by the City council in association with a number of local businesses and night clubs in the centre has been a great success. On Saturday we were treated to a popular local band with musicians from Malpas. Called "Rhythm meets Rhyme" they are a well organised and original band. They describe themselves as a fusion of Hip Hop and Funk and had quite a following as the final band of the evening. One of their songs is called "Malpas" and relates to the local roots of the band.

The event has been an outstanding success and a wide range of artists from many countries have performed.
You can see Rhythm meets Rhyme perform next at the Riverside Tavern on july 27

Malpas Neighbourhood Meeting 20 July 2005

The quarterly Neighbourhood Meeting takes place on Wednesday at 6.30pm at Malpas Court School.
The development of Malpas Court House will be discussed as well as some news about the City Centre development.

Police Surgery at Malpas Library - Community Liaison Officer for Malpas

PC Nigel Jones will be available to discuss local policing issues at the Library from 2 until 5pm on Tuesday 19 July.

Primary School Reorganisation Proposal in Malpas

As you are aware, following the Council's Cabinet authorisation, the LEA has consulted on proposals to reorganise primary education in Malpas. Over 140 letters were received following this consultation including e-mails from our three Councillors. There were over 110 communications not in favour and over 30 in favour. In light of the consultation and the views received very careful consideration was given to this matter and it has been recommended that the Cabinet does NOT go ahead with the suggestion that Malpas Park and Malpas Court Schools close and that a new school opens on the Malpas Court site.

For those of you who have received newsletters from the Malpas Three and have been at consultation meetings you will know that your local Councillors have maintained that there is room for three schools in Malpas especially with the introduction of the Foundation Curriculum at Key Stage 1 level in 2007/08. In fact we have visited two schools where pilots have been introduced and are informed that the Welsh Assembly are extending this to all schools in Wales. We are very excited about the prospect.

You will remember that the Malpas Three said that all of our schools were a vital part of our community. The closure of any of them would have had a detrimental affect on local life. It was also pointed out at the consultation meetings that the projected pupil numbers were unsafe and more realistic figures were given. The Maximum Open Enrolment figures also showed that there was no necessity to close any schools in Malpas. We are told that when figures were produced to the Welsh Assembly Government, the Civil Servants agreed with those submitted by the Malpas Three councillors, and disagreed with those submitted by the LEA.

There were other comments made by the Ward Members and by the Community that are too numerous to write in this short newsletter and you will have seen that the Council is a listening Council having carefully considered the views of the three Local Members and the community as a whole.

The Malpas Three are very proud of the excellent record of all three of our schools and will continue to support any endeavours to maintain and improve the exceptional facilities we have in our ward.

go to full report

go to our original objections

1. Redcastle Shops Planning Application
We have had no representations from any residents on this application but understand that a group of people have held a meeting to which we were not invited. This meeting has resulted in a petition to the Planning department. We have always advised residents to write individual letters as these are far more effective.

With regard to the opening hours the Planning Officers have agreed that Mondays to Saturdays should be 07.00 hrs to 23.00 hrs and Sundays and Bank Holidays 07.00 hrs to 22.00 hrs. No delivery to or from the site can be made outside of these times. It was felt by Officers that, if these times were not agreed the applicant would go to the Welsh Assembly to appeal. These times relate closely with the other businesses in the area and will minimise the risk of an appeal to further extend the hours.

The change of use to A3 a decision has not been made at present. The Ward Councillors have made representations on this and asked that, if the Planning Officers are mindful to agree to a Pizza outlet, a condition is imposed stating that if this type of A3 closes, a new application should be made for any other A3 use. We have also asked the Planning Officers and the Developer to request that the outlet provide litter bins in strategic places in the area.

With regard to the anticipated traffic problems, we have asked our Officers to inform the Developer to deposit the £15K agreed with the Council at an early date in order that Highways can carry out necessary works quickly.

The application for the footpath closure requested that it remain closed until August 4 but it is felt that it will be open before this date.

2. Redcastle Shops Planning Application( Closure of Path)
When work started on the site they discovered a major unexpected problem with the sewerage. Previously it had been connected to the main foul water drainage on Malpas Road so for years sewerage from the site has been contaminating the the foul water system. The developers were therefore entitled to ask for closure of the path to Hollybush so that they could connect the sewerage to the proper system. The order was until 4 August 2005 but the developers think it will be re-open ed before this date.

Abuse of One Way System between Russell Drive and Westfield Drive
We have many complaints over the years about the abuse of the one ways system at this point. It is extremely dangerous to find cars driving through the chicane , often at reckless speeds when drivers from Westfield Way are concentrating on traffic only from the Westfield Drive direction. If you witness anyone abusing this junction we urge you to call the police and report the numbers of transgressors.

Harvester application to extend opening hours
The Harvester Public House has applied to extend the hours for the sale of alcohol, hot drink and /or food to operate from 10.00 hrs to 00.00hrs Monday to Sunday and for hours noted on notable days and certain international events

• Note:This is for information only. Under new regulations the Malpas three cannot represent any residents views at the Licensing Hearing.

Residents who wish to support or oppose the application must act individually.

Malpas Court School : The Malpas Quilt
Paul Flynn MP unveiled the Malpas Quilt at Malpas Court School on Friday 10 June 2005. For more details and a video of the event go to Paul's video section.

Development of Chapman Close Properties
Residents have contacted us about the future of boarded up houses in Chapman Close. These former M.O.D. properties have had extra car parking spaces added and have been advertised for sale this week in the Local press.
The 8 homes are being sold by Davies & Son (243515) in conjunction with Annington Homes For more information go to

Parc-y-Prior application to extend opening times
The pub has applied for an extension to their opening hours to midnight on
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and 1.00am on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Other variations include the removal of restrictions relating to drinking up time, to allow credit sales, provision of late night refreshment and to allow limited entertainment.
• Note:This is for information only. Under new regulations the Malpas three cannot represent any residents views at the Licensing Hearing.

Residents who wish to support or oppose the application must act individually.

Planning Application for Land between Malpas Road and Chadwick Close

The Malpas Three are opposed to the development at this site for the reasons in our statement of opposition on the reverse of this leaflet.

This site (known locally as Cooks land after the previous owner) has been the subject of a planning application for houses for several decades. Originally the plans included access through Chadwick Close but the Malpas Three objected after a previous application was renewed. The access was then removed from the plans and until the Malpas Road was de-trunked no access was possible to the site. At one stage the developers contemplated knocking down houses for a proposed access via Westfield Drive.

We were reasonably happy with the previous plans but are concerned about the density of this current application.

go to the full text of our objections

WWII photo project:

Do you own photographs from the 1940’s / World War Two era of Newport or the people of Newport? To celebrate Local History Month and Commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the end of WWII, Newport Community Learning and Libraries are inviting people to bring their photographs to the library to have them copied to form part of an exhibition.

To find out more contact Mandy Edwards in Community Learning and Libraries on 265539 or email her at mandy.edwards@newport.gov.uk. Photographs can be brought to either Newport Central Library, John Frost Square between 9.30am – 1.00pm or Malpas Library, Pillmawr Road between 2.00pm – 4.30pm on Saturday 21st May 2005.

Claremont and Pilton Vale Wildlife park and pathway
As part of the renovation of the wildlife area our officers suggested that another link be provided to access to the area. We insisted that they consult with residents first and the result is that all were against with only one in favour.

Claremont Lighting replacement
We complained three weeks ago to our Highways Department about the failure to remove the old light standard lights and the wastefulness of having both on at the same time. We are still waiting for a positive reply but we have been told what they think is the cause of the delay. Apparently the Contractor has a heavy workload and has been asked by other Authorities to complete the installation of new lights before the year end. Hopefully it will not be too long before they come and dismantle the old lights now we are in a new financial year.

Lighting on Malpas Road
We are sorry that the lights on this part of the highway have been out for over three months despite our constant complaints to our officers.
This was due to a cable fault and it took longer than the Highways Department anticipated. Obviously we did not want the Grasscrete to be disturbed after we had just put it down. Fortunately the Grasscrete did not have to be touched.

New Shopping Centre at Redcastle site
The proposed tenants of most of the units have now been announced. There will be a Tesco Express, A Bathroom Showroom, Opal Computers, A Betting Office and a Pizza Restaurant. The other units are still under discussion.

Residents have contacted us over the following issues.

A proposed Change of use and time to a food outlet by the Pizza restaurant. The two applications are to change the opening hours and the change of one unit from retail to food. The opening hours
can be addressed by changing some of them eg the bathroom store need not open until 11 o'clock at night. With the change of use of Unit 7 to a Pizza outlet the Authority can insist on a condition that will make it a Pizza outlet only. If the owners changed they would have to apply for a change of use then before.

Other residents are concerned that a Pizza outlet will increase the already intolerable rubbish that litter Hollybush Avenue and the canal. Other concerns expressed is the noise of extraction fans at the rear and smells created by this.

Some residents contacted us over the security of the rear of the premises that overlook their properties on Westfield Way. The developers have assured us that the security of the rear will not be a problem. They have also agreed to soften the area with extensive planting at the rear and sides of site.

When the Malpas Three held a well attended consultation meeting to discuss the proposals there was general agreement that these units were the best development solution to the site and would bring excellent benefits to Malpas.

The major fear however was the increase in traffic and the possibility that north bound traffic might use Westfield and Holly bush avenue as a shortcut back towards the centre of town. We discussed a variety of solutions including making Westfield Way a one way street and even the blocking off of the Westfield Drive end. There was no consensus however as to which solution could achieve the best result. As the City Council have agreed that Traffic Monitoring would take place after the development was open the meeting agreed to wait until then so we analyse the true nature of the problem and then take appropriate measures to protect local residents

Westfield/ Rogerstone school

The two stage tendering process has just been completed. It is hoped that the pupils will be back at the newly built school in Rogerstone in September 2006. At the moment the Authority believe that the timescale can be met.