THE development of a £15m town centre car park is on track.

Swindon Council gave the go-ahead last October to buy the land, which is part of the town’s regeneration plans.

The 850-space car park is being built on the site of the former police station in Islington Street and is already beginning to tower above the Magistrates Court next door.

Councillors believe it will be a moneyspinner in less than 10 years and in the longer term, the council would be looking to reduce the number of existing, outdated car parks, replacing them with high-quality facilities within future regeneration schemes.

The project, which is part of the Union Square development and is being overseen by Forward Swindon, is said to be running on schedule and could be completed by the end of the summer.

A spokesman for the Forward Swindon said: “The work is going well and will be nearing completion around the end of the summer – assuming we don’t have the same kind of weather as last year.”

Forward Swindon has played a major role in regenerating Swindon’s town centre and aim to create a vibrant environment that attracts visitors, draws businesses and creates employment.

The Canal Walk and Regent Street projects have regenerated major areas of Swindon's shopping centre.

Forward Swindon were behind the regeneration project of Swindon’s station forecourt last year which was delivered two months late as a result of wet weather last summer.