D-Day for college (From Swindon Advertiser)
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D-Day for college
1:30pm Friday 21st January 2011 in News
D-Day for college
A HATED carbuncle in the centre of Swindon may finally have its days numbered.
The Old College building in Regent Circus could be torn down as soon as April, a meeting of Swindon council’s ecomomics committee was told last night.
Garry Perkins (Cons, Shaw and Nine Elms), in charge of regeneration, told the meeting that the final agreement with developer Ashfield Land is now within their grasp.
He said: “We’ve been in discussions with the developer for the last few weeks.
“If that goes through, we’ll start removing the college from Swindon.
“Hopefully it’ll be going ahead by April.”
But it’s been a long time coming.
Committee chairman Nick Martin (Cons., Shaw and Nine Elms) told The Adver: “It can’t come soon enough.
“I hope and pray we have an agreement.
“I’d take my own sledgehammer to the demolition.”
Former leader Mike Bawden (Con, Old Town and Lawn) said: “We were talking about it when I stepped down.
“Now five years later, we’re still talking about it!
“It’s no good saying: it’s all the economy. Until two or three years ago, the economy was going like a rocket.”
He said the town has a “two year window” to get its act together.
“I get more and more frustrated walking around the town centre,” he said.
“I feel we just don’t really know what to do with it.”
Once it is bulldozed, the site will be turned into a leisure complex by Ashfield Land.
Occupiers are already signed up to five out of nine restaurant spaces, and a cinema and supermarket are also earmarked to move in.
The last hurdle standing in the way of the demolition is a Section 106 agreement.
It lays out the amount the developer must pay the council before work begins.
Coun Perkins said planners are on the cusp of approving the sum, believed to be five figures, and said the scheme should be given formal go-ahead by the council within around two months.
Comments(18)
who dat?
says...
2:30pm Fri 21 Jan 11
itsamess
says...
2:44pm Fri 21 Jan 11
He said "I get more and more frustrated walking around the town centre" and " I feel we really just don't know what to do with it" In other words--we are walking around like headless chickens. No sense of direction. When are you folks going to vote out the councillors that do not listen to their promises and vote in fresh blood with a real interest in bringing this town back to the great place it used to be.
izzie
says...
2:51pm Fri 21 Jan 11
They have been"talking" about a Transport plan for Swindon for at least 20 years.
I Too
says...
6:14pm Fri 21 Jan 11
The 106 money will never off set the future resultant cr4p.
And.
Save Coate, you bar stewards
itsamess
says...
6:51pm Fri 21 Jan 11
The prospects of saving Coate are sadly remote as it is noticeable that the Council has allowed the area to deteriorate. What a magnificent place to establish a wild animal reserve which could draw people from far and wide. The amount of land we have could revive our beleaguered town. The value of the M4 corridor has never been exploited as our Council can only think houses and hotels. The potential is there for numerous leisure pursuits if we had councillors with brains.
Robfm
says...
7:08pm Fri 21 Jan 11
“It’s no good saying: it’s all the economy. Until two or three years ago, the economy was going like a rocket.”
The problem for Swindon of course was that New Swindon and the SWRDA were more like a damp squid than a rocket, and we well and truly missed the launch.
I note they don't say which April. Haven't we already missed two Christmas deadlines.
Beckx
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2:04am Sat 22 Jan 11
Mr Blackwell
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8:01am Sat 22 Jan 11
.
Not sure what the college redevelopment has to do with Coate, though.
TinkeyWinkey
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2:44pm Sat 22 Jan 11
The way Swindon is growing we should have a town centre that has grown with it. I'm sick of the sight of the empty boarded up shops. Seems to be more and more each month and the town centre is no pleasure to shop in.
itsamess
says...
4:13pm Sat 22 Jan 11
Coate and other leisure areas have been left to deteriorate in the same way as the old college. Look closely at the plans for the site-5 new restaurants in an area already inundated with restaurants. Developers q-ing to build thousands of houses which rarely produces jobs as developers bring in their chosen builders. Not regeneration in my view--degeneration as nothing new is being brought here--more people with less to do. Even the Oasis under threat. No vision--just blindness.
How Soon Is Now
says...
5:41pm Sat 22 Jan 11
What absolute crap, seems that it's you who needs to "take a look around" messy, as you are so keen on instructing others to do.
The old college builing is a derelict, bombed-out shell, nothing like Coate or the Oasis.
DO TAKE A LOOK AROUND MESSY - idiot.
itsamess
says...
7:10pm Sat 22 Jan 11
Coate was a lovely place to take the kids and some great walks. However it has gone down hill over a period of time and i can assure you i do look around often. It is definately under threat of being spoiled by development. My opinion.
The Oasis was discussed here recently if you remember the Council claimed it was falling into disrepair. Like everything else we have in Swindon they cannot wait to offload it to the private sector. Remember also very recently the Link Centre roof was leaking. Why was the college not bulldozed years ago--perhaps you missed that too as the developers were asked to convert the old building into flats--or part thereof. The current cuts give this Council a further opportunity to say that cannot afford the upkeep of the few treasures we have left. If you are proud of the absolute mess this town is in i do suggest its you that needs to open your eyes. The only vision this Council has is the lure of the money building brings.
How Soon Is Now
says...
8:38pm Sat 22 Jan 11
So 'I do suggest you take a look around' for a mug and make yourself a nice hot cup of stfu.
itsamess
says...
10:18pm Sat 22 Jan 11
I do not disagree with you--but my concern is how long will these places survive with a Council like we have. What would you think will replace the Oasis--more to the point why was it allowed to fall into disrepair? Coate is a wonderful place to relax in and there are signs of neglect in my view. I am always suspicious of this councils aims to build around coate and will break promises to do so. The proverbial saying stands--give them an inch and they will take a mile. How many Councils sell off their assets or fail to protect them. The lovely walks and wildlife on the front garden destroyed to make way for housing. Mill lane is in their sights too or has that fallen into disrepair by neglect for other reasons. The list goes on and on. Dont blame me for wanting the children of the future to have nice places to visit in this town of ours.
Robfm
says...
10:31am Sun 23 Jan 11
tjentp note the huge sums that have gone to Swindon Contract Services, nearly £11 million, but I'm sure all the contracts went out to tender.
And one obvious thing stands out why did SBC give the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister £220k I thought that office had been abolished when Prescott went (these accounts cover October last year).
Note all the secret payments.
Wurzzzley
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12:41am Mon 24 Jan 11
Robfm
says...
9:21am Mon 24 Jan 11
SockPuppet says...
2:00pm Fri 21 Jan 11