Plans to convert an empty office at Boss Park in Newport into a large wedding and events venue have been refused by the city council.

Starburst (UK) Ltd applied to reuse the Stephenson Street building, formerly associated with the Orb steelworks. Two25 Luxe Events was named as the proposed operator.

The scheme covered weddings, functions, community meetings, workshops, cultural events and exercise classes. Plans showed a main hall, smaller meeting areas, a catering kitchen and service space. Existing office partitions would have been removed, but no material work to the exterior was proposed.

Documents described about 2,300 square metres of net internal space and also recorded 2,230 square metres of gross existing floor area. Proposed hours were 8am to 11pm on weekdays and 8am to midnight at weekends and on bank holidays.

The applicant said the office had remained vacant since the Orb works closed in 2020 and had been marketed between September 2020 and December 2025. It argued that the venue would create work and community opportunities. About 220 parking spaces were identified, although the council questioned whether other businesses on the estate also used them.

The council gave three reasons for refusal. Officers said visitors would be drawn into an industrial area used by warehouses and heavy goods vehicles, with no dedicated walking route to the building. The nearest bus stop was said to be about 1.15 kilometres away, making the scheme too dependent on cars. A highways officer had maintained an objection while safe pedestrian access remained unresolved.

Officers also found that the application did not provide all the evidence needed to justify losing employment floorspace. Missing details included the marketing strategy, asking price, enquiries and why prospective occupiers had not proceeded.

The final reason concerned the out-of-centre location. The council considered weddings, meetings and fitness classes more suitable for a city or district centre. It found the search for alternatives too narrowly focused on one building between 1,725 and 2,875 square metres, rather than considering smaller premises for separate uses.

The council did not identify grounds for refusal involving flood risk, biodiversity, archaeology or effects on homes. Seven neighbouring properties were consulted and no public comments were received.