NEW plans to restore the crumbling Locarno building in Old Town into a mini Covent Garden style destination have been welcomed by traders.

Yesterday the Adver highlighted a proposal to turn part of the Lawns into a car park with 80 spaces to accommodate the £35m regeneration development planned.

The car park is one of three options developer Steve Rosier is assessing alongside a possible extension of underground parking for the 82-bed hotel and 85 apartments, or a multi-storey car park nearby.

But Kris Talikowski, who owns The Core, believes a masterplan of Old Town should be drawn up involving all future developments, such as plans for the Adver building in Victoria Road, to create a vision involving Swindon Borough Council, traders and residents before any decision is made about parking.

He said: “What is the solution? You either build a multi-storey car park, underground parking somewhere or you find some land. The challenge is where you find that land to use, as there really isn’t a lot of free land.

“Whatever you do it is going to be really expensive or you are going to have to take out some green space — there isn’t really a natural solution.

“Steve has come up with a list of options, one which is using a small section of Lawn by the entrance and in exchange they are going to redevelop the central gardens and the whole area.

“It is one of the most sensible solutions but it is going to create public opposition if people just see it on the surface as parking on the Lawn.”

The £35m project, which would take two years to build, is hoped to also include five large restaurants, a small boutique three-screen cinema, as well as a café, bistro, retail units and a new pedestrianised market square. The top of the development will also be covered in glass.

Some of the target restaurants include Jamie’s Italian, Carluccio’s, CAU, Zizzi and Cosy Club.

Kris added: “It is going to be a really good draw for the town.

"It is not trying to replicate the Outlet, it is not going to replicate the town centre, it is going to be something new.

“I think the development itself is a brilliant idea because Old Town needs some new life.

“All the redevelopment is being channelled into the town centre, which is great for the town overall but it all concentrated there.

“The only way we are going to see significant development in Old Town is if someone like Steve gets his proposals through.”

Various readers commented on the proposals on the Adver website.

One person said: “If we want to see redevelopment of an area that’s been derelict for 30 years or so, some compromise might be required. Subject to seeing more detailed plans of what’s being proposed, I’d be prepared to say that in return for the (what sound like, to me at least, very exciting) facilities being proposed, allowing c.3% of the lawns to be built on *could* be an acceptable compromise.

“If we went back far enough, the whole of Old Town, including the very homes lived in by those who oppose the proposal, would be green fields. Things change, we need to be open minded to the idea that some sacrifice might be required. Look forward to hearing more, though I won’t hold my breath that anything will materialise, given every couple of years we hear about a ‘new plan’, then no action.”

Mary Thomas said: “We have few heritage sites in Swindon, I object to stealing anything from the Lawns to “save” the Corn Exchange, surely the 60s concrete block building can be sacrificed? Last weekend I was showing a Swiss visitor around the Lawns woods saying proudly “no one would get permission to destroy this as we have so little to preserve”… was I too premature, I hope not? Once they start, they will nibble away at a wonderful green space.”

Crystal Ken said: “I know it’s green space but in reality do people even spend time in that part of the Lawn estate? Personally, I’d rather have some decent food places to eat and the Locarno either revitalised, or levelled.”