Newport Leisure Centre Delayed as Free Parking Plans Revealed 2026

Key Points

• Construction has been paused after the discovery in early 2025 of part of the former canal retaining wall during excavation works – prompting the need for archaeologists to record what was found before work can continue.
• The project will see a new leisure and wellbeing centre (known as ‘Splash’) open in the city centre towards the end of 2026 – instead of the previously set date of October.
• A new city council report outlines plans for Newport’s future, including proposals relating to development around key sites such as Castle Square and St John Street, and how to best address issues such as noise complaints from residents living near new buildings.
• It adds that the cabinet will also consider an offer to provide free parking to those who visit the new wellbeing and leisure centre once it opens. The city council’s cabinet is due to get an update about the project and discuss the offer when they meet next week.
• Proposed parking initiative – This would mean that for the first two hours, parking would be free in all council owned city centre car parks during the time period between 2nd November 2026 to 3rd January 2027.
• Funding the parking scheme – The Council propose to utilise £130,000 of prior year’s underspend reserves to fund this proposal;
• What Splash includes – A leisure pool with play equipment and a lazy river along side a separate teaching/ public-swimming pool, plus there is also a gym with exercise classes, as well as changing facilities and a café/community space.
• More than 55 per cent of project costs will be funded externally including via the Welsh Government’s ‘Transforming Towns’ programme as well as the UK Government.
• Meanwhile, the centre aims to become one of the first net zero leisure facilities within the UK, and will run solely on renewable electricity.

Newport (Wales Times) November 06, 2026 — New leisure and wellbeing centre, Splash, is now expected to be completed at the end of 2026 after construction was delayed by the discovery of archaeological remains on the city-centre site. uk/local/newport/newport-council/">Newport City Council’s Cabinet is also due to consider a free-parking offer intended to support visitors to the new facility and the wider city centre.

As reported by Wales 247, the council’s Cabinet will be given an update on the city’s new leisure centre at its meeting next week, including a free parking offer for users. The development comes as the council prepares to publish a programme of opening activities during the winter, although no official public opening date has yet been confirmed.

The leisure centre, located on Usk Way near the River Usk in Newport city centre, has been named Splash. It is being delivered by Newport City Council and will be operated by Newport Live, the council’s leisure services provider.

Why has Newport’s new leisure centre been delayed?

The main cause of the delay was an archaeological discovery during excavation work in early 2025. Contractors uncovered part of the retaining wall from Newport’s former canal, requiring work to stop so that archaeological experts could record the findings in line with planning conditions.

As reported by the South Wales Argus, Councillor Batrouni said the remains were recorded as quickly as possible, allowing construction to resume. The discovery added around three weeks to the council’s construction timetable.

The council had previously expected the building work to finish by the end of October. In a later update, it said construction was now anticipated to be completed at the end of December, with fitting out to follow.

Newport City Council’s formal response to a council question in July stated:

“In line with the planning conditions, and with former major archaeological finds in the area in mind, work had to be halted so archaeological experts could record the findings.”

The council added:

“This was resolved as speedily as possible and the new centre build is now anticipated to be completed at the end of the year.”

What free parking plans have been revealed?

The council’s Cabinet is due to consider a proposal to offer the first two hours of parking free of charge in council-owned city-centre car parks. The proposed scheme would run from 2 November 2026 to 3 January 2027.

According to the Cabinet report, the free-parking initiative would apply every day at the following council-owned car parks:

• Kingsway multistorey car park
• Park Square multistorey car park
• Emlyn Street surface car park
• Riverfront surface car park
• Stow Hill surface car park
• Additional council-owned city-centre car parks listed in the report

The proposal builds on previous free-parking initiatives operated by the council. It is intended to provide the equivalent of the first two hours of parking free of charge to visitors using the council’s multistorey and surface car parks.

The report states that the council would use £130,000 of prior-year underspend reserves to fund the initiative if the Cabinet approves it.

How will free parking affect Splash visitors?

The free-parking proposal has been reported alongside the update on Splash, although the council’s published Cabinet papers describe it as a wider city-centre festive parking initiative rather than a scheme exclusively for leisure-centre users.

If approved, visitors travelling to the city centre during the specified period would be able to park without charge for their first two hours in participating council car parks. This could benefit families attending swimming lessons, gym sessions, exercise classes or leisure-pool sessions at Splash, as well as shoppers and other city-centre visitors.

The council has not, in the material available, confirmed a separate long-term parking arrangement specifically linked to Splash. The proposed scheme covers a defined festive period and applies to council-owned off-street car parks.

What will Splash include?

Splash is designed to provide leisure, fitness and community facilities in a single city-centre location. The centre will have two swimming pools: a leisure pool with children’s play equipment and a lazy river, and a separate pool for public swimming, lessons and exercise sessions.

As reported by the South Wales Argus, Councillor Mark Spencer, Newport City Council’s cabinet member for communities and sport, said: “The name reflects what the centre will offer, its location and that it will make a huge splash with residents and visitors after it opens.”

Councillor Spencer said: “Splash will have not one but two pools.” He added that the leisure pool would include play equipment for children and a lazy river, while the second pool would be used for public swimming, lessons and exercise sessions.

He also said the centre would include a well-equipped gym, exercise classes and a café.

The council’s earlier published material said the facility would also include modern changing facilities, a relaxation area and a large active space for community use, group activities and children’s birthday parties.

What has Newport Live said about Splash?

Newport Live chief executive Steve Ward said the organisation was proud to bring Splash to life as a welcoming and vibrant centre for the whole city, while also attracting visitors from the wider region.

Mr Ward said:

“Drawing on Newport Live’s experience of delivering inclusive sport, leisure and wellbeing opportunities, we will help people of all ages and abilities enjoy being active.”

He added that people would be able to take part through swimming lessons, family fun in the pools, gym sessions, exercise classes or by meeting friends in the café.

How is the Splash project being funded?

More than 55 per cent of the cost of the Splash project is being met through external funding. This includes funding from the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns programme and the UK Government.

The project has been described by Newport City Council as a new leisure and wellbeing centre for the city. The council first announced that work had begun on the facility in November 2024, when it said the centre was expected to open to the public in 2026.

The council’s July 2026 publication said construction was expected to be completed by the end of the year, ahead of final fitting out. The October Cabinet report also listed the opening of the new city-centre leisure centre among the council’s major projects.

Is Splash a net-zero leisure centre?

Newport City Council has said Splash is expected to be among the UK’s first net-zero leisure centres of its kind. The facility is intended to be powered entirely by electricity from renewable sources.

Engineering firm WSP, which is associated with the project, lists the Newport Leisure Centre as expected in late 2026 and describes it as a net-zero leisure project.

The centre’s environmental design is a central part of the council’s description of the project, alongside its leisure, fitness and community facilities.

When will Splash open?

No official opening date has been announced. The council has said that construction is expected to finish at the end of 2026, after which fitting out will take place.

A programme of opening activities is due to be published during the winter. The council’s earlier timetable had anticipated completion in late summer 2026, before the programme was revised following the archaeological discovery and other project pressures.

Background of the development

Splash is being built on Usk Way in Newport city centre, close to the River Usk. It replaces the need for a separate standalone leisure facility by bringing swimming, fitness, community and wellbeing provision together in one location.

The project was affected in early 2025 when excavation uncovered remains of part of the former canal retaining wall. Under planning conditions, construction had to pause while archaeological experts recorded the findings.

The council later said the remains were of local significance and did not significantly affect the project’s cost or programme, although the discovery did extend the construction schedule.

The facility forms part of Newport City Council’s wider investment in city-centre regeneration and public services. Its Cabinet papers also identify the opening of the leisure centre alongside the completion of the Transporter Bridge project as significant local developments.

Prediction: how this development can affect Newport residents

For Newport residents, the delayed completion means that access to the new swimming, gym and community facilities will depend on the final fit-out and opening programme rather than an immediate launch at the end of construction. Families awaiting swimming lessons, leisure-pool sessions and inclusive activity provision may need to follow the council’s winter announcements for confirmed opening arrangements.

If the proposed two-hour free-parking scheme is approved, it could reduce the immediate cost of visiting the city centre during the festive period. This may make it easier for residents to combine a visit to Splash with shopping, appointments or other city-centre activities, particularly during the November-to-January period covered by the proposal.

For regular gym and swimming users, the centre’s two-pool design could provide a clearer separation between family leisure swimming and structured lessons or exercise sessions. The promised gym, classes and café may also broaden the centre’s role beyond swimming, making it a regular destination for residents of different ages and abilities.

The project’s net-zero design may also be relevant to residents interested in how public buildings use energy. If delivered as described, Splash would be powered entirely by renewable electricity and positioned among the UK’s first net-zero leisure facilities of its kind.