New hope over town eyesore (From Swindon Advertiser)
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New hope over town eyesore
12:20pm Friday 11th December 2009 in
PLANS for the Regeneration of a town centre eyesore could be finally taking shape.
At a cabinet meeting at the civic offices, Swindon councillor Phil Young, Cabinet member for culture, regeneration and economic development, announced a breakthrough in the old college site at Regent Circus.
The former Swindon College building has been empty for the past three years and the council has been in discussion with Ashfield Land, the developers of the site.
A design and layout has been agreed and a planning application could be submitted to the council by the early part of next year.
“We have been there before on the college site,” said Coun Young after the meeting. “It’s cautious optimism at the moment. For the first time in a long time there is cause for optimism. It’s a case of the last points for negotiation.”
Coun Young said the project had been delayed to a large extent due to the effects of the recession and the subsequent changes to plans made by the developers.
The plans had been reduced virtually to just a cinema, but now include a cinema, an undisclosed supermarket, retail shops and a cafe and restaurant area. The original plan for residential housing has been put aside as the current housing market is not seen as viable.
Coun Young said that although the council was under pressure to do something with the site the council had not been prepared to compromise its vision.
He said the council was keen not to place the supermarket entrance on the front of the site, but to have an open square with cafes. He said that because the old college site is a gateway to the town centre it was important to create the right image.
Coun Young said: “We want quality for our town centre.
“We’re not just just going to sign away that quality just to get things moving in the recession. The breakthrough came about a month or two ago and they have gone away to do more detailed work.”
Work is taking place to improve the look of the town centre with the work completed by the New Swindon Company on Wharf Green and Canal Walk with work planned for Regent Street. During the cabinet meeting, Coun Young said: “We should be proud that we have created an environment for people to want to come and invest their money.
“They see something in Swindon is happening and they want to be part of it.
“Regeneration takes a long time because of how the town has developed over time – it has diverse land ownership.”
Comments(24)
Always Grumpy
says...
1:09pm Fri 11 Dec 09
Ah well, I suppose it's a start, but when the bulldozers have finished with the college, keep them there and tell them to clear everything between Regent Circus and Faringdon Road. That would be a good start on sorting out the mess that's Swindon's Town Centre.
Casual Observer
says...
1:14pm Fri 11 Dec 09
Captain Sensible
says...
1:38pm Fri 11 Dec 09
itsamess
says...
2:19pm Fri 11 Dec 09
politicrat
says...
2:38pm Fri 11 Dec 09
And that the new buildings are not only energy efficient and why not energy autonome?
Anybody here believing our council green motto? LOL
itsamess
says...
3:13pm Fri 11 Dec 09
Mecca--Town Centre-Old Post Office-Corporation Depot-Old Police Station--all derelict or like bomb sites--Broadgreen--t
he international centre of Swindon full of foreign shops and overcrowded houses waiting for the Council to house them--then fill them up again with new arrivals. Empty office blocks everywhere--empty industrial units everywhere-the list is endless--our Councils reaction "regeneration takes a long time"--wrong-this is Swindon where time has stood still and will continue to do so no matter what govt is in place as it will remain the dumping ground for all rubbish ideas. Our Council has only one vision and that is to form committees to form other committees and draw in partnerships that need joint committees and companies to run services that fail and have to then pay off its executives and directors managers--then shout--"oh dear we have a great big black hole in our budget" we must cut support to the elderly and youth. CUT OUT ALL THIS WASTE BY DOING THE JOB YOU ARE ELECTED TO DO__RUN SWINDON--DONT GET EVERY TOM DICK AND HARRY TO DO IT.
politicrat
says...
3:27pm Fri 11 Dec 09
itsamess wrote:5 by 5! maybe other will realise that it is time to vote for small parties and people not having been stained by decades of political involvement.
Mechanics--Locarno-- Mecca--Town Centre-Old Post Office-Corporation Depot-Old Police Station--all derelict or like bomb sites--Broadgreen--t he international centre of Swindon full of foreign shops and overcrowded houses waiting for the Council to house them--then fill them up again with new arrivals. Empty office blocks everywhere--empty industrial units everywhere-the list is endless--our Councils reaction "regeneration takes a long time"--wrong-this is Swindon where time has stood still and will continue to do so no matter what govt is in place as it will remain the dumping ground for all rubbish ideas. Our Council has only one vision and that is to form committees to form other committees and draw in partnerships that need joint committees and companies to run services that fail and have to then pay off its executives and directors managers--then shout--"oh dear we have a great big black hole in our budget" we must cut support to the elderly and youth. CUT OUT ALL THIS WASTE BY DOING THE JOB YOU ARE ELECTED TO DO__RUN SWINDON--DONT GET EVERY TOM DICK AND HARRY TO DO IT.
The ModFather
says...
3:43pm Fri 11 Dec 09
insidesbc
says...
3:54pm Fri 11 Dec 09
Are you all really that stupid or are you just labour voters (same thing in most peoples eyes).
Haven't you all realised that Gordon brown and the labour party caused this recession and through that basically stopped any development happening on our town and pretty much everywhere else in the country ?
I really despair at the comments on here. Swindon is a great town and yet all you d*ckheads can do is whinge and moan about everything. You ate a disgrace to Swindon and should move away if you don't like it.
Passcode :- sell-home - how apt.
politicrat
says...
4:12pm Fri 11 Dec 09
insidesbc wrote:you must be part of the "yes sir breed", obviously a product of the Neo Liebour machine, so let me enlighten you a little on Life.
When are all you idiots who are slagging off the council over this going to realise or even understand THE COUNCIL DOESN'T OWN THIS SITE or any of this development ! Are you all really that stupid or are you just labour voters (same thing in most peoples eyes). Haven't you all realised that Gordon brown and the labour party caused this recession and through that basically stopped any development happening on our town and pretty much everywhere else in the country ? I really despair at the comments on here. Swindon is a great town and yet all you d*ckheads can do is whinge and moan about everything. You ate a disgrace to Swindon and should move away if you don't like it. Passcode :- sell-home - how apt.
What you call whinge and moan, is how a healthy debate and democracy work, an exchange of different ideas......
Now maybe I am wrong but should everybody moaning about Labour Leave the country?
try to think rationally rather than let your emotions cloud your thinking!
of course you are perfectly entitled to make a fool of yourself.....
RF1
says...
4:32pm Fri 11 Dec 09
I Too
says...
4:34pm Fri 11 Dec 09
I have to agree with Politicrats' response to Insidesbc.
Except for the part about being a product of Neo Liebour.
I would gues insidesbc, is a Tory councillor, blaming all the rubbish emanating from the Euclid Street offices, on the government, as usual. What are SBC going to say when the Tories win the next election.? Are they going to blame the previous administration.
If they can't do the job, they were elected to do, THEY should leave, not expect every Swindonian, that have had their town destroyed by mis-management and egotistical plans to leave their homes.
Parasitic muppets.
I Too
says...
4:42pm Fri 11 Dec 09
"The plans had been reduced virtually to just a cinema, but now include a cinema, an undisclosed supermarket, retail shops and a cafe and restaurant area. The original plan for residential housing has been put aside as the current housing market is not seen as viable. "
Wow! Have SBC finally changed their tack?
Gosh! I hope so. For decades Mike (the builders chum) Bawden has tried to have us believe that expansion is the buoyant, vibrant, vision, for a sustainable Swindon. Anyone pointing out "it isn't working" or "it's destroying the town" was labelled "nimby".
Are we really about to get a cinema and supermarket, with "no strings attached "
I'll have a lye down, and come back later. This must be an illusion.
If it's not, Mike will be fuming.
DAVE0242
says...
5:08pm Fri 11 Dec 09
What do they have to say about this, or is it another non-starter with the site staying derelict for years?
lss110581
says...
5:12pm Fri 11 Dec 09
lss110581
says...
7:12pm Fri 11 Dec 09
insidesbc
says...
9:47pm Fri 11 Dec 09
I Too wrote:Is this why the builders chum lost his job as the leader of the council then ?did his friends stop looking after him or did they just run out of money first ? We really should know the truth ;-)
Councillor Phil Young said
"The plans had been reduced virtually to just a cinema, but now include a cinema, an undisclosed supermarket, retail shops and a cafe and restaurant area. The original plan for residential housing has been put aside as the current housing market is not seen as viable. "
Wow! Have SBC finally changed their tack?
Gosh! I hope so. For decades Mike (the builders chum) Bawden has tried to have us believe that expansion is the buoyant, vibrant, vision, for a sustainable Swindon. Anyone pointing out "it isn't working" or "it's destroying the town" was labelled "nimby".
Are we really about to get a cinema and supermarket, with "no strings attached "
I'll have a lye down, and come back later. This must be an illusion.
If it's not, Mike will be fuming.
itsamess
says...
12:04am Sat 12 Dec 09
Casual Observer
says...
7:53am Sat 12 Dec 09
Old Town
says...
10:47am Sat 12 Dec 09
.
It's possibly the first post I have ever read of yours that doesn't start going on about immigration...
.
Congratulations !!!
.
Although obviously this is tempered by the 2 posts you wrote above that which happen to squeeze your immigration drviel in.......
laurie38
says...
3:50pm Sat 12 Dec 09
politicrat wrote:'Neo Liebour machine'...yet again politicrat the man who knows everything about nothing..using flowery or even made up words to try and impress everyone....
insidesbc wrote: When are all you idiots who are slagging off the council over this going to realise or even understand THE COUNCIL DOESN'T OWN THIS SITE or any of this development ! Are you all really that stupid or are you just labour voters (same thing in most peoples eyes). Haven't you all realised that Gordon brown and the labour party caused this recession and through that basically stopped any development happening on our town and pretty much everywhere else in the country ? I really despair at the comments on here. Swindon is a great town and yet all you d*ckheads can do is whinge and moan about everything. You ate a disgrace to Swindon and should move away if you don't like it. Passcode :- sell-home - how apt.you must be part of the "yes sir breed", obviously a product of the Neo Liebour machine, so let me enlighten you a little on Life. What you call whinge and moan, is how a healthy debate and democracy work, an exchange of different ideas...... Now maybe I am wrong but should everybody moaning about Labour Leave the country? try to think rationally rather than let your emotions cloud your thinking! of course you are perfectly entitled to make a fool of yourself.....
I Too
says...
5:54pm Sat 12 Dec 09
"Is this why the builders chum lost his job as the leader of the council then ?did his friends stop looking after him or did they just run out of money first ? We really should know the truth ;-)"
...
Who cares, why he's not leader of the council anymore? Well apart from you of course.
Long after "retiring" as leader of the council, he still dished out press releases, of super new vision developments, that would make Swindon buoyant, if not vibrant, for a sustainable future.
His own inflated ego, allowed him to boast to the Guardian, as the joker behind the Coate (not really a university) house building project.
.
"did his friends stop looking after him or did they just run out of money first ?"
Is it up to "builders, to control who is the leader of the council then?
If that's the case, I hope they did run out of money.
We need a council leader that cares passionately about the town. That has to include the social aspect, as well as the structural development. This should involve retaining some of its heritage / identity, whilst working alongside modernisation and business developments. Historicaly the council couldn't give a stuff about Swindons' heritage, residents opinions, the inevitable developing image etc. Until they are prepared to listen, we will just get more of the same old tat.
Captain Sensible
says...
6:22pm Sun 13 Dec 09
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politicrat says...
1:07pm Fri 11 Dec 09