Location:
Newport, which will be hosting the 2010 Ryder Cup at the prestigious Celtic Manor Resort, is located between the major conurbations of Bristol and Cardiff on the prosperous M4 motorway corridor, which extends west from London to South Wales. It has a population of over 140,000 with 75,000 of those working in the city. The city has a busy port which is part of its rich manufacturing heritage.

Transportation Services:
Newport is served by excellent road, rail, sea and air services making it an ideal strategic business location. London is 2½ hours drive to the east along the M4 motorway, which has six junctions serving the city. The M4/M5 interchange is 25 miles to the east of Newport, and there is also a direct link to the Midlands via the A449 from junction 24 of the M4 to the east of Newport, providing the principal regional route to the Midlands and South West. The city is on the main rail line between London and South Wales. Trains depart every 30 minutes to London with the journey taking 110 minutes. London's Heathrow Airport is 2 hours drive to the east of Newport along the M4. Nearby regional airports at Cardiff and Bristol have services to major UK and European cities and offer transatlantic services. The city has a deepwater port taking ships of 35,000 tonnes.

An Assisted Area:
Yes.

Other Kinds of Financial Assistance on Offer:
The Welsh Assembly Government offers a range of assistance under its 'Flexible Support for Business' Programme. Newport Council’s Business Services Team offers a range of grants up to £5,000 for small business expansion.

Available Sites:
The city offers high quality sites for industrial and office uses, with plots ranging from 0.5 to 50 acres.

Major Business Parks:
Newport has a number of modern business parks at junctions 24 and 28 of the M4 offering existing office space and development opportunities.

Celtic Springs Business Park

Office Developments Include:

• A speculative 35,000 sq ft office at the prestigious Celtic Springs Business Park, off junction 28 of the M4.

• 23, 484 sq ft City Centre offices in Nexus House.

• Various sizes of serviced accommodation at Langstone Business Park.

Major Industries in the Area:
Metal manufacturing, electronics, distribution, financial and business services, Government offices, hotels and conference centres.

Major Companies in the Area:
EADS, International Rectifier, UK Identity & Passport Service, Go Compare, Panasonic, Aviza Technology, STS, Solutia, Bisley Office Equipment, Admiral, Intellectual Property Office, Yell.com, Wilkinson Distribution, Quinn Radiators, Avana Bakeries, Office for National Statistics, Lloyds TSB, The Celtic Manor Resort.

International Rectifier

Advice and Assistance:
The experienced inward investment team provides free and confidential advice and support before, during and after a company’s decision to establish its operations in Newport. Information includes availability of sites and properties, labour and training. This is achieved through a 'one stop' co-ordinated approach.

Contact:
Janine Dance, Inward Investment Officer, Newport City Council, Civic Centre, Newport, South Wales NP20 4UR. Telephone: +44 (0)1633 233248. Fax: +44 (0)1633 232334. E-mail: inward.investment@newport.gov.uk Web:  www.newport.gov.uk/investment

Summary:
Newport is located on the prosperous M4 corridor with all its locational advantages, but without the problems of an overheated labour market, high commercial land, property and housing costs that are often encountered further east along the M4. It has the added bonus of being the first location west of London along the M4 to benefit from ‘Assisted Area’ status. The city has a strong manufacturing base but has also attracted a range of service sector businesses due to a combination of highly accessible top quality business parks, workforce availability and a quality of life for key workers that is second to none. Lambert Smith Hampton's Leading Locations Index for offices ranked Newport as the third best performing location based on property rental costs, availability of high quality premises, labour costs, availability of skilled workforce and recruitment potential (Source: LSH Research). The city is surrounded by attractive countryside. There are plenty of recreational and sporting facilities including 27 golf courses within 25 miles.