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Thousands visit regeneration exhibition

10/01/05

BRP Encouraged by Level of Local Support

More than 2,500 people visited the Bracknell Town Centre Regeneration Exhibition when it opened to the public in the first three weeks of December 2004 and a further 1,000 have so far logged on to the www.changebracknell.com website.

The exhibition, which included a model, plans and computer generated visualisations, was organised by Bracknell Regeneration Partnership (BRP) to tell residents and businesses in Bracknell Forest about their recent planning application for the 750m regeneration of the town centre.

The exhibition closed on 18th December but the web site remains online providing full information on the planning application, news updates and an opportunity to comment or ask questions.

David Gregory, Development Manager for BRP, said: “We’ve been extremely encouraged by the high level of support for the outline plans which has demonstrated a real appetite for the comprehensive regeneration of the town centre. It has been very useful for us to hear both people’s ambitions and aspirations for the town centre and their concerns, which are understandable with a project of this size, and to be able to respond to many of these at the exhibition or via the website.”

The exhibition, which was held at 30 Charles Square between 30th November and 18th December, included a comments box allowing visitors to express their view of the plans, make suggestions and raise queries.

David Gregory said: “We’ve now read all the comments and will bear these firmly in mind when working up more detailed proposals, once we have received outline planning permission. In general, the comments were very positive. It’s clear that for the vast majority of people the town centre is failing to meet their needs and they are looking forward to a new town centre and have strong views on what they want to see – a stronger higher quality retail offer, more leisure facilities, a greatly improved safe attractive environment and a town centre that is alive in the evenings. We’re confident that we will be able to deliver these improvements and plenty more.”

A popular request was for more covered retail areas to protect shoppers from the weather particularly the prevailing winds. BRP’s proposals include a dramatic new covered shopping and leisure area at the north of the town centre, shown as the Bracknell Eye.

Visitors to the exhibition also wanted to know whether the residential elements of the planning application included affordable homes. BRP’s proposals anticipate that the Borough Councils policy for 38% of new housing to be affordable will be achieved as well as executive housing and apartments.

BRP noted that one of the most common questions was why under the new proposals the bus station would be relocated, closer to the shopping and leisure but further from the railway station.

David Gregory said: “The Councils own masterplan which was adopted as planning policy in 2002 actually located the bus station further to the north adjacent to Winchester House (the old 3M building) and we believe our proposals are a distinct improvement. Building a new bus station has a number of important benefits. Releasing the existing site enables a whole new southern quarter to the town centre to be created. This will include new council offices and a library, a food store, hotel and apartments all around new high quality landscaped public space offering an easy and attractive level pedestrian route between the railway station and the town centre. The proposed location of the new bus station at the western end of High Street is just about at the centre of town offering easy and convenient access to the ‘Eye’, High Street and Princess Square. By far the majority of bus passengers are travelling to the town centre to shop or use other services in the centre and for them the new location will be much more convenient and provide easier access to the centre. However we have not overlooked the importance of bus/rail connections and there will be bus stops and space for taxis outside the railway station. We aim to ensure that there is good public transport accessibility throughout the town centre.”

BRP said the overall message from both the exhibition and the media coverage that accompanied it is that the people of Bracknell Forest are keen to see their town regenerated as soon as possible.

David Gregory said: “Our planning application is based on the Borough Council’s adopted masterplan for the town centre, which was produced after extensive local consultation. It’s no surprise therefore that our plans would seem to have the popular vote. Indeed the criticism I heard most often was why did it take so long for anything to happen – get on with it! The sooner we clear the first planning hurdle, the sooner we can work up the detailed design and make a start on site.”

Full details of the proposed development are available at www.changebracknell.com and on Bracknell Forest Borough Council’s website at www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk.