Plans to improve walking and cycling routes on land known as Monkey Island in Newport have been lodged with the council.
The proposals include a new ramp which would connect the north footway of the A48, the Monkey Island open space area and the new housing estate to the south in Lliswerry, Newport.
It will also provide direct access to a wildlife area.
A planning statement says the ramp is needed as residents living to the south of the Southern Distributor Road (SDR) have limited pedestrian and cycling access to the north of the A48.
“The erection of the Monkey Island Active Travel Ramp and its associated development will provide pedestrians and cyclists with a safer, traffic-free crossing whilst simultaneously encouraging locals to become more active by promoting walking and cycling to nearby destinations which has potential to have a positive impact on their health and well-being,” it says.
The ramp will also provide access to a wildlife area, which is currently visited through an underpass described as “not particularly inviting to members of the public.”
It is also proposed to connect the ramp with existing footways within the Monkey Island area and to create a route underneath the SDR viaduct to connect with the existing footpath.
The project is expected to take 20 months to complete.
Monkey Island was formerly used as a landfill for the Orb Steelworks until it was recently adopted by Newport City Council as public open space.
It is a designated Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) due to its post-industrial grassland habitat.
The plans will be considered by Newport council in the coming months.
