PROPERTIES damaged by the multi-million pound Regent Circus development can expect progress on repairs in the next fortnight, after developer ISG finally sat down with owners.

Fifteen months after its first meeting with Eastcott residents and businesses, ISG met with more than a dozen representatives at the Civic Offices on Friday (JUN 26) night.

South Swindon MP Robert Buckland chaired the meeting, which had been created to arrest the decline in communication and jump-start repairs promised more than a year ago.

“I’m very glad residents had the chance to express their frustration,” said Mr Buckland. “One of the problems in the past has been a lack of communication.

“Although they (ISG) took a lot of flack there was, at the end, a sense we were able to make some progress.”

Mr Buckland said ISG was represented by Rob Martin, regional managing director, and Pete Creese, environmental and sustainability manager, at the meeting.

The construction firm, which was contracted by Ashfield Land to build the leisure complex, has agreed to write to those damaged properties it accepts liability for.

Approximately 10 properties, including Rehoboth Strict Baptist Chapel, will be contacted with proposals for immediate remedial works in the next fortnight, according to Mr Buckland.

There is another group of properties, which were also represented at the meeting, which ISG has not yet accepted any liability for, but has pledged to investigate any damage in the next fortnight.

The Conservative MP was pleased with the progress achieved in the near two-hour meeting and is confident of proper solutions in the short-term.

“As the MP, my job is to help to bring people together, even in difficult circumstances and try to plot a way ahead,” he said.

“I am satisfied at the end we had agreed to some fairly definite actions and with a fairly short time scale.

“Although it was a difficult and tempestuous meeting, it was a productive one.”

Structural faults with properties surrounding Regent Circus, largely subsidence, were first raised in late 2013 with a formal meeting first held in March 2014.

Promises were made then for action by ISG, but there have been delays since and anger from residents as a result.

“They were apologetic about some of the delays, which they put down to an issue with insurance. I was glad to hear they were proceeding with these properties where there’s an admission of liability,” said Mr Buckland.

“They are going to get on with the remedial works without waiting for the insurers.”

The solicitor general intends to follow-up with ISG in a fortnight and check on progress.