MARK DEMPSEY: Kick-starting regeneration of town is key part of plan for better Swindon

By Swindon Link - 18 February 2015

Opinion and Features

Mark Dempsey, Labour's Parliamentary candidate for North Swindon, returns with his regular column...

LAST time I introduced my Positive Plan for a Better Swindon.

The regeneration of our town centre is vitally important for the future of Swindon and is a key part of my Positive Plan.

I have set out an ambitious vision for our town centre based on the successful examples of Bristol and Bath - and with our railway heritage at its heart.   This action will kick start the regeneration of Swindon and develop a town centre we can all be proud of.

Many people on the doorstep tell me how frustrated they are by the Tories failure to improve Swindon town centre.  They can visibly see the impact of Tory failure and people are angry that the Tories chose to spend £15 million on the new multi storey car park, when the town desperately needs real regeneration.

Labour is determined deliver the real change our town needs.  Thanks to our campaign and support from businesses, we devised a new master plan to shape the future of the town.  This creates a clear plan for the town centre and provides developers with certainty to invest.  It is the foundation upon which the regeneration of Bristol, Bath, Gloucester and Manchester have been built.

Our regeneration plan will breathe new life into the town centre – including:

  • New walkways across the railway line linking the Oasis, the Outlet Village and the Town Centre; providing direct links to the town centre in order to capitalise on the expansion of the Designer Outlet Centre and the planned new Leisure Zone at the Oasis.
  • And a Railway Heritage area bringing back into use our historic assets including the Mechanics Institute.
  • A new iconic Art Gallery to house Swindon’s impressive art collection.

I have also campaigned for real action to help the high street – including regular markets to add colour and flavour to our town, and Pop Up Shops to unleash our young retail entrepreneurs onto the high street.

Labour will  also cut business rates to  help the high street and breathe new life into Swindon.

Swindon is a town with huge potential and I believe we should be ambitious for the future of our town.  That’s why we need change so that we can get regeneration moving and start building a better future for Swindon.

Your Comments

Be the first to comment on this article

Login or Register to post a comment on this article

Subscribe to The Link

Registered in England & Wales. No: 4513027, Positive Media Group, Old Bank House, 5 Devizes Road, Old Town, Swindon, SN1 4BJ