Leading UK regeneration specialist St Modwen has submitted a planning application to start work on a new access road and the first speculative commercial unit within the 100-acre Celtic Business Park at its £1bn Glan Llyn development in Newport.

Subject to planning consent, St Modwen expects to start work on site in the spring.

The new road will provide the main site access from the adjacent Queensway dual carriageway into the Celtic Business Park at Glan Llyn, on part of the Llanwern steelworks site, while the inaugural commercial unit will be built speculatively for purchase or rent to provide 50,000 sq ft of prime warehousing or industrial space.

Pete Davies, senior development manager for St Modwen, said: "We are committed to helping make Newport an attractive place for inward business investment and jobs.

"Our Glan Llyn development is a £1bn sustainable new community, which is being developed over the next 20 years to provide a place where people can live, work and relax for generations to come.

"Getting the green light to start work on the business park is the next step in attracting investment from businesses across the UK looking to expand or relocate operations in the area. The site’s close proximity to junction 23a of the M4 will make it the perfect choice for logistics and distribution firms as well as local businesses seeking prime real estate in order to flourish and grow.

"In addition to this first 50,000 sq ft speculative unit, St Modwen is also able to deliver bespoke buildings on behalf of occupiers looking to purchase or rent.”

Glan Llyn is being developed by St Modwen using a phased approach delivering 4,000 new homes and 6,000 new jobs over the next 20 years.

The 600-acre former Llanwern Steelworks site will provide a range of facilities including a new local centre offering leisure and retail space supported by new education facilities all surrounded by 80 acres of extensive open parkland.