Masterplanners announced for The Promenade

Re: Masterplanners announced for The Promenade

Just a quick note to how genuinely shocked and saddened I was to hear of Jan Tierney's death.

Clearly I did not know her on a personal level, but in the few dealings I had with Jan she was always very approachable, helpful and amiable.

My thoughts are with her friends and family.

Regards,

Ben

Re: Masterplanners announced for The Promenade

I just wanted to say that this website has proved very informative, I've enjoyed seeing some of the plans for Swindon. I watched the video in the gallery section but i couldn't help feel that the spaces that are being created in the hub are really enclosed and lack space and tranquility. Green open natural spaces are desperately needed in Swindon in addition to the planned facilities, these buildings depicted look overly urban. I would personally put forward the option of reinstating the canal along the original canal walk route and developing the new developments around the canal with open space a priority.

Re: Masterplanners announced for The Promenade

Having recently seen the site of the Exchange from one of the neighbouring Offices I got a greater appreciation of how huge the development is. I can now understand the need for a cautious approach and perhaps this has what has continued to delay the development agreement ?

Is there any update on this? What are the latest estimates on when work on site will begin? Also do we know when Regents Circus is likely to receive a Government decision on its application and work to begin? (sorry for all the questions!)

Finally I just wanted to add my disappointment on the decision to remove the art gallery from Modus Development Regents Place. I think any development should look to promote the local culture and an art gallery I felt could have ensured this.

Re: Masterplanners announced for The Promenade

I just want to echo the comments from Gordon, who has made a number of sensible and challenging posts on this forum. Interesting too that the Swindon Advertiser generally beats the NSC website to revealing regeneration news.

The disappointing thing for me about the revised Regent Place proposals is also the scrapping of the art gallery. It was common knowledge that the cinema would go, as that is being built at Regent Circus. Happy with that. But I thought the whole idea of returning the Baptist tabernacle to Swindon was to incorporate the facade in a new art gallery or building of cultural importance. If it is just a glorified shop front, will it be worth the ?1m plus to restore it?

I think there is a real danger that the art gallery will not happen now, as the New Swindon Company's plans for 'The Promenade' are years away and have no clear proposal for who will pay for it. Just because we have identified a potential cultural area, does that mean that we have to wait for this to happen before any cultural improvements can occur in the town centre?

An Art Gallery would have been a very welcome addition to a scheme that on the surface, now looks like comprising new chain stores plus hundreds of flats and little else. Plus of course there will be some churn from existing shops moving into the new centre, potentially leaving more units in the 'old' part of town unoccupied.

387 flats is an awful lot to shift in a static housing market and I think what was needed was more entertainment and cultural provision to make the area more attractive as an evening destination. Why can't the developer be made to pay for this? We lost the cinema - the most predictable outcome was more residential but that is not going to help with overall regeneration!

Of course the proposal is still welcome, but is it a missed opportunity? Only time will tell but the whole scheme seems to lack any real innovation or creative use of the space.

Re: Masterplanners announced for The Promenade

Hi there,

Any idea when the Development Agreement will be signed?

Thanks

Re: Masterplanners announced for The Promenade

Hi there

Can you please post my comment on the site? (I noticed another new comment went up yesterday but I sent one in last week).

- What has happened to Gov Office of SW approval for Regent Circus, and when will we see demolition start? (you said it would be coming down 'in the first quarter' which I took to mean by end of March)

- When will the Development Agreement be signed for Union Sqaure? (you said that it would be in February and was very very close when the last update was posted)

- When will work start on the Jurys Inn hotel?

- Why did the Art Gallery get removed from the Modus scheme (the cinema was understandable)?

Thanks very much!

david

Re: Masterplanners announced for The Promenade

Message for David Room - With regards to Regent Circus I have heard that demolition work has now begun. Apparantly contractors are currently removing asbestos before the actual demolition work begins in around a fortnight. Not sure this means the scheme has Central Gov approval or not but in an interview with SwindonWeb.Com, Rod Bluh (I think) says it has got approval?

I wonder if the 'credit crunch' is having an impact on the various redevlopment plans? Surely schemes involving such massive capital investment are not immune to the situation?

Anyway, look forward to the next update from the NSC.

Re: Masterplanners announced for The Promenade

I have seen that ground work has begun this week at the Jurys Hotel site. Not sure if all now passed as revised plans were submitted.

Re: Masterplanners announced for The Promenade

From what I've seen of the Jury's hotel plans I'm very dissappointed. Not sure if what I've seen is actually the Swindon design or just a generic Jury's building but, to me at least, it looks like bland 60's throwback. Reminds me more of the Debenhams high-rise eyesore than the great designs for other parts of the town.

Oh well, hopefully I'm wrong!!