Page 8 - link magazine

8 The virtual Link Magazine now online @ www.swindonlink.com

Redhouse centre on its way - really
Several readers queried the January Link story that shops are actually being built, perhaps because they
are somewhat hidden in a residential building site off Redhouse Way, not in a recognisable village centre.
GUARANTEED TO SAVE YOU But work is underway and shop Altogether, in the two blocks, there
MONEY TIME AND EFFORT
fitting of the Smile convenience will be 46 housing units.
Do you hate buying cars? store should start in April, with a “We have a chip shop and a
Do you worry you’re not getting the view to opening in early summer. Chinese takeaway signed up and a
best discount, deal or finance rate? Chris Cain, development man- hairdresser. The florist has pulled
Women, do you feel patrionised ager for Crest Nicolson, who are out and I’m looking for a new ten-
and confused by jargon? building the centre, said there have ant. I’m currently in discussion
Why not use my expertise been persistent rumours that the with two pub operators for the An impression of the village centre. Be-
to get an expert deal? centre will not be completed in its second phase, where there will be low, Chris Cain in front of the shop/
original form. “This centre is big- more residential and retails units,
Tel: 01793 845153 ger than the ones you see else- an office block and some small of- apartment blocks being completed in the
Mobile: 07703 162196 where. The first phase of a Smile fices mixed with residential. Spring and Summer
Email: [email protected] store and four other shops are un- “I hope we will have the centre years, but this is dependent on
Web: www.negotiamate.co.uk derneath residential apartments. largely complete within three market conditions.”

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Speedy connections soon to be made
73 Basepoint, Rivermead Drive, West Swindon. Tel: 01793 602446
For about three years people moving to Oakhurst have been frus-
trated by unreliable or non-existent high speed internet connections.
Broadband data deteriorates the “Equipment is currently being
further a house is from a telephone installed and we hope soon to an-
exchange and people living in the nounce when the exchange will go
area, which is over two miles from live.”
the Blunsdon exchange have suf- • The Priory Vale visitor centre
fered. It’s not something house which was due to close just before
builders advertised as a downside Christmas will remain open until
of moving into their developments. 31 March.
AOL subscriber Rachel Bridden
has recently expressed her frustra- Ever expanding
tion to The Link. “I’m renting a workload in town’s
house in the Oakhurst area and
have had huge problems getting a biggest ward
reliable broadband service. The When the first councillors were
connection is intermittent at best, elected to represent Abbey Meads
usually when other people are out ward in 2000, it was the smallest
and not online. In the school holi- in Swindon with 1,800 homes, but
days I was unable to connect at all. seven years on it is now the larg-
“I’ve spent a lot of money on est and continues to expand.
phone calls getting AOL to even “The size of the ward means
properly understand the problem we’re a lot busier and the day to
and get a BT Openreach engineer day case work is larger,” said Coun
to test the line which showed a Justin Tomlinson, who represents
huge data loss. I would imagine the area with Owen Lister and Pe-
that there are many others experi- ter Stoddart. “I wouldn’t swap rep-
encing these problems.” resenting Abbey Meads for any
Jason Mann from BT said they other ward though.”
have been working hard to resolve There are now about 5,000 homes
the broadband issue in Oakhurst in the ward, when others average
and Taw Hill. “A significant about 4,200. The workload is likely
number of people have been un- to continue to grow until the next
able to receive a high speed serv- boundary review which is not
ice. But in a few months the prob- likely to take place before 2010.
lem will be solved with the com- Electoral Registration Officer,
pletion of a new exchange next to Alan Winchcombe, said that there
Thamesdown Drive, close to the is no upper limit on the number of
visitor centre. homes in a ward.

1 February 07 8 19/1/07, 9:37 am