Twice The News, Half The Story, None Of The Redevelopment

There seems to be some (more than usual) confusion emerging about a town centre developer going into administration this weekend.

As Swindon Centric reported Thursday, Swindon Borough Council officially announced that the Regent Place plan was dead, due to "Modus Ventures' financial difficulties" (read financial difficulties as, in administration) on Tuesday. This was despite Modus being reported as in administration on 29th of May by the BBC.

Swindon Centric Says ; So, there isn't ANOTHER developer going bust, it's still Modus. Meanwhile, we're still waiting for our town centre.

Musing On The Mode Of Town Centre's Stagnation

Swindon Borough Council have now officially announced that the Regent Place scheme, championed by Modus, is dead.

However we're assured that the Union Square (old Fleming Way Post Office site) scheme, to be carried out by Muse, is "moving ahead".

But this small piece of news from last year shows an ironic twist. A celebratory lunch (was it on expenses? Surely not!), organised by Anne Snelgrove MP wasn't attended by the group it was arranged for, Muse (in recognition of the Union Square deal). So instead, the crustless sandwiches and little cakes were in honour of the people from Modus, celebrating the Regent's Regent Place deal.

Oh the irony.

Swindon Centric Says ; If the Union Square scheme gets built, I'll give Anne Snelgrove and everyone at the New Swindon Company a jam donut*. Probably, depending on the current economic conditions and what the response of the market is to a donut-based investment in the vibrant hub that is Swindon.

* Offer is subject to withdrawal at anytime.

Town Centre Starts To Crumble

Since we're going to have to wait an awfully long time before any significant development happens in the town centre (apart from the BHS rebuild), the next best course should be maintaining what we currently have.

But oh no.

The stopped Jubilee clock has been unplugged for nearly a year and neither Swindon Borough Council, nor the Brunel Centre, who supplied the power, seem to care about it. How difficult can it be to plug a clock back in?'. Now, along with the empty shops and the stopped clock, we can put down the incredibly poor quality paving that runs around the outside of the Brunel Centre. Specifically the stretch from Havelock Square to Regent Street. Swindon Centric witnessed a man trip over the uneven storm drain covers that run where the old Brunel Centre canopy roofs used to stand. He didn't just trip, he nearly ended up smashing his face on the uneven and broken paving slabs.

The quality of the flooring is in stark contrast to that in Regent Street, which is in far better shape and brightens up the shopping street.

Swindon Centric Says ; Is the Brunel Centre going to bring their paving outside the centre up to an acceptable standard? In this case, they are being shown up by the Council, which isn't a comparison to be proud of.

Big Project In The Shopping Bag - At Last

The Regent Place scheme, which will be built within the Commercial Road, Regent Street area, has been, finally, signed off.

At the same time, someone from the quiet-as-a-mouse, New Swindon Company, came out of hiding to say how pleased they were.

Swindon Centric Says ; Ok, the first hurdle is cleared, now lets see how long before the work begins. The clock is ticking...

The Market Saga Continues, Crossroads Like

The replacement for the closed Tented Market in the town centre has been rejected yet again by the council planning committee.

The latest version submitted for approval looked better than the last, but was still not defining the word 'landmark' in it's fullest sense. Despite the recommendation of planning officers to grant the scheme approval, members of the committee thought different thank goodness. The current artists impression shows the market replacement showing it's best side facing backwards to the one way traffic system, meaning the majority of people would see the least attractive side of the building approaching from Farnsby Street. There doesn't seem to have been much attention to detail in the latest version.

Swindon Centric Says ; We're pleased that a decent standard of build for this part of the town centre redevelopment is being upheld. But it's disconcerting how long one, relatively small part of the whole regeneration masterplan is taking. Swindon Borough Council better speed up it's dealings on this major part of it's remit.

Once again, where in the world is the New Swindon Company in this Crossroads saga? Been sent out for a bag of sugar anf never seen again?