WORK on a new leisure complex in the town centre is well underway as buildings continue to shoot up at Regent Circus.

The development at the former site of Swindon College is making steady progress, with basic frameworks filling out, and the top of the supermarket nearing completion.

Residents near to the site are growing increasingly excited about the development and what it will bring to the local community.

Peter Green, who lives in Old Town, said: “I’m pleased with how the work is progressing.

“I think most people like the fact that building is now taking place.

“The traffic isn’t causing a problem for people living at the back of the site and I’m happy that something is going on.

“For about five years there was nothing going on there and it was just a derelict building.

“It will be good to get a proper supermarket because at the moment you have to walk all the way down to Sainsbury’s or up to the Co-op in Old Town, so people are really looking forward to that.

“One thing we are concerned about is the traffic on Friday and Saturday nights, and people might use it as a short cut.

“With all the bars there is already quite a lot of merry people walking home at night but they have said they might put a gate in to close at night.”

 

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The £50m complex will feature a Morrison's supermarket, a Cineworld cinema and several restaurants and bars including Prezzo, Coal, Nando’s and Ask.

Other units continue to be filled as construction progresses.

Kat Dixon lives on Dixon Street and cannot wait for the town centre to have a cinema.

The 23-year-old said: “I think the building is going quite well, I want it to be completed sooner. I don’t understand why they put the diversions where they did though.

“I think it’s about time that Swindon had a cinema in the town centre that people can walk to and I think it will be good to have more proper sit-down restaurants, because Swindon doesn’t have many of them.

“It’s also good there is going to be a proper supermarket in the town centre and it’s reasonably priced so people don’t have to get in the car to get a bargain. people will also be able to walk which means they will be saving the environment as well.”

Ashfield Land, who are developing the site, purchased the land in 2007 but problems with the market saw long delays in getting the project off the ground.

The work is being carried out by ISG, and when completed the supermarket will take over a 52,000sq ft area and the leisure complex will be 30,000sq ft. The final section of the development will be a 450-space multi-storey car park.

It is hoped when complete it will bring in shoppers to the town centre, increasing trade.