In the 1960’s, recognising that Swindon’s railway manufacturing industry was declining, the Government earmarked the town for job creation and development. Town planning decisions in the 1970’s gave rise to out of town retail parks so Swindon became a ‘doughnut’ town. In 2000, to address the dying town centre, a major regeneration project coordinated by the New Swindon Company set out six town centre areas for redevelopment.
Parkridge Developments (with offices in London and globally) and Ashfield Land (Bristol) bought the site of the Swindon College site and are developing a high-quality, mixed use residential, leisure and retail centre, anchored by a new town centre cinema.
An Ear to The Ground Saves Cinema Blue Click PR Ltd. has worked with the developers throughout the planning and public consultation phase. We are involved in Council planning meetings, collaborate with the New Swindon Company, keep our ‘ear to the ground’ and give regular feedback to our clients on the progress of all regeneration projects. Another developer was fighting to include a cinema in their development so our feedback has been vital to help Ashfield/Parkridge plan their course of action, lobbying relevant councillors to retain this anchor feature at the heart of the development.
The Regent Circus redevelopment scheme includes a 1960’s building which will be demolished and a one-hundred year old red brick Victorian building that housed the Technical College. Extensive redevelopment of Swindon and the erection of concrete buildings in the 1960’s (now considered eyesores by some) replaced much of the town’s architectural heritage. Ashfield Land/Parkridge Developments have been sensitive in their plans and a ‘change of use’ application has now been approved.
Redevelopment gains 95% positive support. Blue Click PR has managed a steady PR campaign for the developers and the last public consultation in the main shopping centre delivered significant radio coverage from all local stations, attracting 700 visitors. 167 local residents responded to the questionnaire and we delivered a very positive response from over 95% of townspeople surveyed. The planning application has been approved.
