The long-awaited St George’s Retail Park in Newport is rising rapidly from the ground, with the steel structure of the first unit – Aldi – now being craned into place.
Just 2 months after Island Echo reported that construction was finally underway on the site of the former Newport IW FC football ground, significant progress is already visible.
Large steel beams are now being lifted into position, forming the framework of what is set to become Aldi’s third store on the Isle of Wight.
Substantial headway is being made on the main access road into the development off Godric Road, with the new entrance beginning to take shape.
The scheme was first submitted for planning approval back in 2018, but legal challenges and revised proposals meant the project stalled for several years before work eventually began in late 2025.
When the retail park finally opens, it will boast not only a McDonald’s drive-thru but also the Island’s first-ever Costa Coffee drive-thru too.
In addition to Aldi, other retailers expected to take space at the retail park include Superdrug, with B&M widely rumoured to be among the future occupants. Official confirmation of all tenants has not yet been released.
Fantastic, more shops that I won’t be visiting, together with the continuing death knell for Newport town centre and with proposed hikes to car parking charges, who would want to go there.
if you want to shop in Newport (town), just park in Morissons & walk a little…
it’s what most people do…
that’s why it’s so difficult at times to find a parking space there
Free parking in Superstores like Asda etc
Yahoo can’t wait all the shops we need more of.
Another supermarket we won’t set foot in, how many supermarkets do we need on the Island?
This development will not help the high street in Newport thrive in any way. What with the council charging for parking in the town center and letting the supermarkets have free parking, that’s another reason for deserting the town centre.
Part of the permission to build these large stores should be that the council run the car parking on it if they are so strapped for cash, they would make a fortune and could feed it back to support the towns.
The shoppers in the “town” should not be penalised for using small shops, but they are.
The high street has been dieing for years. Everything is cheaper online. It’s irreversible now
Amazon killed off High Street shops.
Oh right lumber us with more parking charges, you don’t work for the council do you.
Oh yes, just what the island needs – another supermarket.
All the same shops we already have. What a completely pointless waste of space and resources. Shame on IW council for allowing this. The island continues to die a slow and painful death.
Sad twats costa packet ? who can and would pay for a bloody coffee..sad.
“boast not only a McDonald’s drive-thru but also the Island’s first-ever Costa Coffee drive-thru”. Boast?? This is nothing to boast about.
It’s going to be amazing. All over the island people will be able to lob their empty Costa cups and McDonald’s litter into hedges as they get close to home. Fuck putting it in the bin at home.
Anyone visiting Towns where Councils have approved an out-of-town retail park will have seen the impact; the loss of footfall, with many small businesses unable to afford the hiked-up business rates. In addition, customers are seeing increases in parking fees, which are leading people away from the town and toward retail parks.
In summary, Councils are expecting customers to pay for parking to have the pleasure of seeing row after row of Turkish Barbers, Nail Bars, African Hair/Wig shops, Pop-Up dodgy shops selling tosh. But it isn’t all failure; at least there are plenty of gambling shops, Vape shops and McDonald’s.
Wot no Wickes?
Yes Wickes would give B&Q some competition and help islanders.
great idea !!!
So more of the same? Unless Newport is shutting down completely what is the point of more of the same????
No Macdonald’s in town now? More empty shops while building the same crappy ones out of town, could have had some better stores,.Wickes and Waitrose would be better and different.