Janet Curley Cannon, artist at Gallery@49 in Broadway: “I think the general public needs to ‘see’ the regeneration begin before they will believe it."
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What Bracknell Thinks: What do you want for the town centre regeneration
By Becky BarnesJuly 06, 2012
This week we asked our panel what they thought about Councillor Marc Brunel-Walker saying Bracknell’s regeneration was a case of ‘when’ not ‘if’.
Council chief promises town centre regeneration is not 'far off'
We asked them what they would like to see for Bracknell’s regeneration and if they had any other questions for the councillor.
Your town centre regeneration questions answered
Emily Pheney, 14, a pupil at Easthampstead Park School: “Cllr Brunel-Walker still seems unable to give an actual date of when things will start, so I would like to know when it will happen.
“I think a good mix of shops is needed, especially clothes shops and not too many phone shops.
“I hope the cinema won’t be too expensive to go to. It will be good to have different places to eat out.
“It would be good to get Matalan or Primark or Wilkinson or BHS in Bracknell.”
Jonathan Greenyer, artist and author from Winkfield: “Cllr Brunel-Walker sounds desperate rather than convincing when he says the regeneration will go ahead. Sounds like same old same old.
“What exactly is planned? How long it will actually take? Will it ever be completed? Will the plans slip and change during implementation?
“These are the questions to ask him. I only ask because the current disjointed dump that masquerades as a town centre in Bracknell must have been part of a previous ‘something brilliant’, then see what they built.”
Janet Curley Cannon, artist at Gallery@49 in Broadway: “I think the general public needs to ‘see’ the regeneration begin before they will believe it.
“The councillor’s statements will not be believed – it’s just the boy who cried wolf too many times.
“But it really does need to begin soon before the town has passed the point of no return and there is nothing left to re-generate.”
Peter Smith, chairman of Bracknell Chamber Council: “The comments of Cllr Brunel-Walker is a real sign that things are beginning to move here in Bracknell.
“I am very comfortable that what I am now hearing is a solid portent for the future.
“This is a beautiful part of the UK and has a very convenient location close to London and rail, road and air links. The only down side was the look and feel of the city centre itself, despite the valiant and partially successful efforts with the flowers and town centre events.
“Now at last we are about to see the centre being re-developed and with the imminent removal and replacement of Winchester House – probably the biggest single eyesore in the area – we will have a town to be proud of.”
Hazel Kent, owner Bracknell Market cafe: “I do love Cllr Brunel-Walker’s optimism but will not hold my breath while we all wait for it to happen.
“Cllr Brunel-Walker has already had a large list of questions from the market traders and we are still waiting a reply. We hold the faith.
“Part of the regeneration HAS to include a purpose-built indoor market. I wonder how soon the brick walls will appear to him as they do to most who attempt to move anything forward in a positive way.
“Alternatively, bulldoze the whole lot of the bottom of town and turn it into a park while the town waits for money to come raining down on them – at least that way people wouldn’t get so depressed when they walk that way.”
Most recent user comments 5 of 5
They now seem to have over played their hand.
Because the town centre is so dead they can't now get tenants for centre pieces in the development to sign up as a result they can't guarantee the funds and they can't do the redevelopment.
Development is about risk, I think they are going to have to take risk instead of just taking profit, do the development and let it afterwards.
If you build it they will come.
10/07/2012 at 08:27 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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I'm also quite put off by Peter Smith referring to Bracknell's "city centre". It's a town.
Apart from that, what Winstanley said.
07/07/2012 at 21:43 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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So apart from filling up the empty shops with posters proclaiming the regeneration and painting the public toilets last year, what has happened? What happened for example to the new entrance to the shopping centre so loudly trumpeted at the start of this year – nothing. Did I remember that the bandstand, so well used by the charity groups, was going to be painted – hmm, not that either. Ah yes, Bracknell in Bloom, only our Council will be closing the nursery in Binfield (to sell to a property developer) in August and no doubt using the railway embankments for regenerating daffodils for next year. Shops are not only closing at an alarming rate, but now the Council has taken to demolishing them as well. The reason for this we are told is that the land is required for the regeneration. So in the meantime the amount of additional car parking increases, the number of shops decreases and residents vote with their feet by shopping elsewhere. Pity help the town if Bentalls moves elsewhere.
The reality is that the Executive has become so obsessed with concreting over Binfield and Warfield that anything else is a side show. If all of our Councillors were able to give a free vote on the town’s priorities, I wonder if they would be the same as the Executive, I think it unlikely.
We all know that the number one priority for this Council should be the redevelopment/ regeneration of Bracknell town. That will bring in the shoppers, that will generate the income needed, that will create the jobs and that will give the town the impetus it needs to move into the 21st century and not be considered as a poor example of a 1960’s new town.
Bracknell sits at the heart of one of the most prime and prestigious locations in the United Kingdom, however it is treated as a static investment portfolio by large insurance companies and banks and poorly managed by an elitist Executive with limited ideas on how to develop such an asset.
06/07/2012 at 20:40 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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Added to that - because the regeneration shouldn't just be about consumerism - we need new road layouts and 21st century amenities and infrastructure across the whole town.
Disagree with Hazel on the vision for the market - I'm as passionate about them as she is, having been a market lad in my formative years, and there are some stunning indoor markets around. However I think Bracknell needs an outdoor market on two days at least, slap bang in the middle of the town centre - not tucked away as some after thought. Because you can guarantee that will be the mindset of BRP and BFC.
Stevenage - as I've commented elsewhere - is a sister town to Bracknell and has a fantastic indoor market but it's tucked away in a shabby part of town. Sheffield's the same. But look at places like Northampton, Bury St Edmunds, or Norwich and they have outdoor markets that are part of the town and actually add an increased vibrancy and reason to visit.
It's not difficult for developers and councillors to check this stuff out - just jump on a train for some field work. But they'd rather worry themselves over changing rules that don't suit them!
06/07/2012 at 12:31 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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06/07/2012 at 12:24 Offensive or Inappropriate?
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