Cinema IS in the picture at Regent Circus (From Swindon Advertiser)

Cinema IS in the picture at Regent Circus

2:42pm Wednesday 4th April 2007 in News By Kevin Burchall

A REDEVELOPED Regent Circus is being aimed at the town's family market, according to one of the key men behind the plans.

Andrew Fisher, of Ashfield Land, says a new 10 to 12-screen cinema is vital if the vision is to work, although developers Modus have announced that it plans to incorporate a cinema of its own in the Regent Place regeneration.

As revealed by the Advertiser yesterday, Ashfield Land and Parkridge Developments have submitted a planning application for a mix of shops, restaurants, a supermarket and a cinema.

Chains such as Café Rouge, Wagamama, Zizi, Strada and Ha-Ha are being targeted for the site, which includes the former Swindon College building.

The five-acre site will see the concrete tower block of the college demolished and turned into a supermarket, while 265 one, two and three-bedroom flats will be built.

"The council wanted an element of residential property in the mix because of Govern-ment policy introducing living back into town centres, which is happening all across the country," said Mr Fisher "These things have been developing in Swindon for the last three years and we have followed that proposal rigidly following detailed discussions with Swindon Council.

"The mix of usage is dominated by leisure use but underpinned by retail and residential.

It is a very important site because it sits between Old Town and New Town and part of our proposal is to open Rolleston Street and bring the dense residential area right into the development.

"We want to have good quality restaurants, no pubs or clubs. This is very much a family development and it has been a council decision to go to that level.

"Most town centres around the country have got too many pubs.

"The water trade, as we call it, is not what we want to put here."

Mr Fisher said that developers wanted to create a safe family environment and that discuss-ions with two or three major cinema operators were already under way.

He said that he hoped to get a decision on the plans in around 16 weeks' time.

If planning permission is granted, work would start straight away with part of the development ready next year.

"We are trying to create something that is aesthetically pleasing on the eye and vibrant and lively and the cinema sits at the heart of this," Mr Fisher said.

"The cinema will attract good quality restaurants and every-thing else that goes with it.

"As far as Regent Circus is concerned it is vital that the cinema is in the plans otherwise we will not be able to attract those good quality restaurants.

"We are very excited by the development because it offers that important mix of use.

"Once we get planning permission then we can start talking to occupiers."