News

Police Station tower set for spectacular demolition

The police station, which was built in the late 1960s and sits on a site of almost two acres, was acquired by the South West of England Regional Development Agency (South West RDA) last year. As part of the overall regeneration plans for the town centre, the Agency bought the site on behalf of The New Swindon Company, of which it is a key funder.

The site is in a prominent location on Fleming Way and links The Promenade and The Exchange regeneration areas, which were announced by The New Swindon Company in 2004. The Promenade is earmarked as a new cultural and leisure focus with potential for a new hotel, cafes, restaurants and new library. Prestige offices, apartments, leisure and retail facilities are proposed for The Exchange, which connects directly to The Promenade.

Commenting on the demolition, Ian Knight, Head of Operations at South West RDA, said: "Making progress on this site further demonstrates our commitment to the regeneration of Swindon as part of the Agency's commitment to improving the economy of South West England. Going forward we will continue to work with The New Swindon Company and its partners to deliver regeneration and encourage high quality design and architecture."

Peter James, Chief Executive at The New Swindon Company, said: "Demolition of the police station is another step towards turning regeneration of the town centre into a reality. The Exchange and The promenade project areas represent major opportunities for significant development investment in central Swindon."

As with all demolition projects, health and safety will be of paramount importance when demolishing the police station tower. Trained staff will ensure that the public is kept a safe distance from the site.

Friday 17th February 2006