The company behind Swindon's town centre regeneration, Forward Swindon, has been given the green light to transform council owned buildings at 1-3 Faringdon Road into eight new apartments and retail space suitable for small start-up businesses.
In conjunction with this development there are plans to improve the immediate public area and neighbouring shop fronts. The buildings have been targeted by Forward Swindon because of their prominent location on a key route through the town centre adjacent to the railway village. Paul Chamberlain, Director of New Development Partnerships at Forward Swindon, explained: “This is a small but catalytic project that will kick-start wider regeneration, in conjunction with the other developments we’ve set out in our Town Centre Delivery Plan.”
The Faringdon Road buildings will be transformed into flats and retail space for start up businesses
Forward Swindon published its Town Centre Delivery Plan last month. The Plan describes a “vicious cycle” of low values and poor investor perceptions holding back the town’s regeneration. Forward Swindon hopes to reverse this through a series of strategic development projects at various locations across the town centre.
As part of this work, Forward Swindon has also submitted a planning application for the redevelopment of Aspen House. The company’s proposals include up to 118 apartments in a high rise development, with retail at street level to support the creation of a new “retail loop” connecting Regent Street and Havelock Square via Commercial Road. Paul added: “We held public consultations at the end of last year and have been market testing with developers to ensure we get the right balance – of building something that will contribute to town centre regeneration whilst also being deliverable on a commercial basis.”
Further information on the planning application can be found via Forward Swindon’s web site: http://forwardswindon.co.uk
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