Page 3 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • September 2004 3
Alternative town plan puts education `o VA1 Charles Lucas
and culture at the centre P R I VAT E & Marshall

A university should be the mainstay of any proposals to renew and develop Swindon town centre says
the Swindon Civic Trust - not more offices, business parks and housing.
Reacting to outline ideas put for- herent proposals put forward by ing studies or assessments of the
ward by the New Swindon Com- the New Swindon Company in economic viability of our plans. At
pany, the town's urban regenera- July, and its failure to make provi- this stage the broad principles of We're on
tion body, publicised in the Au- sion for the university. where the town is going is most
gust Link, the Trust is arguing that "The company's own economic important.
the renewal of Swindon would be planning consultants Roger Tym "I should point out that the New
better achieved by having a uni- and Partners have stated that at- Swindon Company's plans in2003 side
versity at its heart rather than on tracting a significant presence to are different to those put forward
the edge. the town centre from either or both in 2004, but they expect us to ac-
The University of Bath has de- the University of Bath and Oxford cept them."
clared that there is no alternative Brooks University would have tre- Peter Andrews, Chief Executive, For experienced, practical help call
Swindon 511055
to building an out of town campus mendous benefits. This would The New Swindon Company, re-
for 10,000 students, next to the come directly from employment, futed the criticisms from the Civic
Great Western Hospital, on land spending by students and employ- Trust by saying the University of
offered free by property develop- ees and good quality buildings, as Bath were planning to include an
ers - providing 1,800 houses can be well as the demand for central area arts department in the town cen-
L Estaffished over 10 nears
built there as well. housing for employees and stu- tre. "The project areas announced
However a fierce argument to dents. by The New Swindon Company
preserve the green space around "There would also be huge indi- are the result of detailed economic ' WE COME TO YOU
Coate Water is raging. In a compe- rect benefits to business of all kinds analysis and public consultation, AT HOME OR WORK'
tition organised by the Civic Trust and sizes plus a massive boost to which included the Civic Trust.
* FREE
last year, the country park was the image and marketing value of "We agree with the importance
I o collection & delivery
voted by Swindon people as their Swindon as a whole and Central the Civic Trust has placed on a
favourite place. Swindon in particular. new university. However, a new it Servicing & repairs
university will not prove the pana- A
WE ALSO SELL
cea to Swindon's regeneration; it re
DOCTOR * New cycles
must be considered in a broader
economic context and as part of an * Parts & accessories
integrated regeneration frame-
work which also considers other
commercial, retail, cultural and
education provision."

Stretch your child's imagination
in three directions at once

Here's a way to spend weekends that
will have 4 to 16 year olds buzzing.

Alternative view for the town from the Civic Trust members, from left, Enrol them in your local
John Monniott, Martha Parry, Alan Hayward Stagecoach theatre arts
The New Swindon Company's "The Trust starts from the view- school where they can
brief is to create a framework plan point that the long term future suc- learn to act, sing & dance.
for future land use and assemble cess of Swindon will be built
sites for development. Much of the around the university at its heart The skills they learn
land is owned by Swindon Coun- with the rest of the town centre
cil, one of the partners in the com- developed around it. aren't just for the stage.
pany. "The land at North Star close to They grow in confidence
After two years' market research the Research Councils and the new and self-esteem.
into what Swindon needs to have Swindon College would be ideal
to give a leading commercial and for an urban university - built up- Stagecoach training is a training for life.
retail presence in the region, in- wards - rather than sprawling
cluding a public consultation ex- across an out of town location. There's no audition. Enthusiasm is all they need.
ercise in 2003, the company has "With so many sites now or soon
identified areas of the town centre to become available for redevelop- Call Sheryll (Principal)
to be used for offices, shopping ment - much of it owned by the for a prospectus on NEW TERM STARTS
and 1,300 dwellings at North Star. council - Swindon has a historic 01793 791746 SATURDAY 18th SEPTEMBER
It has accepted the University of opportunity to create an inte-
Bath's view that land in the town grated, coherent vision of the long
centre is now too expensive and term."
that it would be inefficient to have Mr Monniott added that the New STAGECOACH
departments in buildings dotted Swindon Company had two years
around the middle. to come up with their ideas, but
However Civic Trust chairman the Trust had come up with its
John Monniott said, "we were dis- alternatives in two weeks. "We http://www.stagecoach.co.uk
appointed at the shallow and inco- make no apology for not produc-