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The new Waitrose store, which opened last year, is good newsThe new Waitrose store, which opened last year, is good news for Bracknell’s regeneration scheme for Bracknell’s regeneration scheme
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Council chief promises town centre regeneration is not 'far off'

By Hugh Fort
June 29, 2012

Bracknell's long-awaited regeneration is a matter of “when, not if” and will be “something brilliant”, says the man in charge of ensuring the much-vaunted project takes shape.

Councillor Marc Brunel-Walker, Bracknell Forest Council’s executive member for economic development and regeneration, says he is “utterly convinced” the project will soon start and will “give the people of Bracknell something to be proud of”.

Your town centre regeneration questions answered

The long-running project is viewed with scepticism by the people of Bracknell, who say they have seen and heard it all before from the council and Bracknell Regeneration Partnership (BRP), the town centre landlords.

But Cllr Brunel-Walker promises work is going on behind the scenes to complete the final part of the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) process, which means BRP will own the town centre areas marked for regeneration.

He said: “The CPO process is nearly finished, and from there there will be six month Notice of Entry, which means the shops affected will be relocated. They can trade through Christmas and then after that, they will be moved elsewhere and the empty units will be boarded up.

“We’re very keen not to make it look like a ghost town, so we’re going to use boards showing what the development plans are, rather than just making it look derelict.

“When we talk about it, which we do a lot, it’s ‘when’ it happens, not ‘if’.”

Cllr Brunel-Walker explained that the original plans, given planning permission in 2006, had now changed which means the development will be smaller.

BRP recently submitted a Section 73 application to the council, which, if permitted, will mean the plans can be altered before detailed designs can be submitted.

He said: “I have seen some of the designs and it’s good, really good.

“I’m really convinced that we’re coming up with something great for the people of Bracknell.”

Two high profile projects – the demolition and replacement of Winchester House in Bond Way and the conversion of the empty Enid Wood House flats into a new housing block – are both taking shape.

Cllr Brunel-Walker said, despite not being part of the regeneration itself, the two projects, and the new Waitrose store, were signs housing companies and big name businesses believed the regeneration was imminent.

He said: “They’re not directly part of it, but you’ve got to believe these plans would not be happening if these developers and Waitrose thought the regeneration was dead in the water.”

While he could not confirm details of which shops might be in the new town, he said there would definitely be a new cinema, a mix of restaurants, some of which are “quite unusual”, a department store and improved parking.

He called it a “really good mix”.

He said if the council gives the go-ahead to the section 73 application then a public display of the plans will go on show later this summer.

He said: “Will the regeneration happen? Absolutely, I can promise it’s not far off at all and, once it starts, we will do everything we can to get it done as quickly as possible to minimise disruption to businesses and give the people of Bracknell something brilliant.”

Anyone with views on the town can email him on marc.brunel-walker@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

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Most recent user comments 11 of 11

Camberleys car park development took 20yrs until the eventual atrium was born. Many people thought it would be more like Wokings peacock center with many more retail units rather than the mixed retail and housing that came to be.

Mike Hawk
02/07/2012 at 18:42

Let's attract more restaurants that cater for gluten free diners.

Bagels and burgers in the town centre just don't fit the bill.

Bentalls used to have a lovely little restaurant.

Sadly all we have are coffee shops and fast food chains.

CMK
02/07/2012 at 08:50

'...a mix of restaurants, some of which are “quite unusual” - you mean not a MacDonalds?

'..high profile projects – ...conversion of the empty Enid Wood House flats into a new housing block – are both taking shape' - in other words, replace one block of flats with another? This is what they describe as “something brilliant”??

units will be boarded up. “We’re very keen not to make it look like a ghost town.." - Mmm.. 15 years too late for that?

barto
01/07/2012 at 19:40

We moved to Bracknell in late '99. I remember getting the local paper and reading about plans being well under way for the towns regeneration. And they were on about a decent health centre.

What year is it now?

Dids, Bracknell
29/06/2012 at 19:19

Remember the competition to devise the most accurate yet boring headline? "Small Earthquake in Chile. Not many dead'.

It might just as well have read "Small redevelopment in Bracknell. Looks much the same".

Redeveloping Bracknell's town centre has been put off for far too many years. The chance to make a real difference has long gone - Candid Turkey has summed it up.

Best of luck, Marc!

Forester, Bracknell
29/06/2012 at 17:12

Good summary - Winstanley, no offence was intended.

Tom Edwards, Bracknell
29/06/2012 at 12:05

Tom you're quite right in a lot of what you say. I think Bracknell is fantastic and has such potential. I hate that people moan about Bracknell, slag it off, cast it as some kind of dump.

Bracknell was designated a new town in 1949. Stevenage (where I was born) was the first new town in 1946 and is almost a sister town to our own - yet Bracknell is far and away more desirable. If you want to see a broken down dump of town head up the A1.

However, Mr Brunel-Walker may well be candid in this piece yet the links I have provided in my earlier comment show that the mouthpieces at BFC/BRP seem to have no idea what position to take in relation to this regeneration, and the good Cllr. has contradicted a good deal of what his colleagues have said - even this year!

Candid Turkey makes some excellent points about the restructuring of the town centre - it's like a concrete fortress at present.

Alistair makes the most relevant points concerning the political make up of our borough council. Complacency and arrogance is the over-riding impression one gets from seeing them in action. They may not mean to act in that way but that's how we view them.

I'd like to see many of the Councillors currently serving stand down and retire at the next election - give some younger generations a shot at contributing.

And before anyone says that we all have an equal chance of standing for council my point is this: the old guard have remained in place for years and voters tend to go with what they know out of apathy. If these Councillors stood down then it would open up a completely new field of candidates to choose from. Maybe then we'd really see some fresh ideas and passion to lead a renewed and regenerated Bracknell.

Winstanley, Bracknell
29/06/2012 at 11:37

So let me get this right - The New Exec Member gives a fairly candid interview – refreshingly candid actually! He then openly asks for people to get in touch and still all people do is moan??

I've emailed him with a list of shops and suggestions - lets see how quickly he replies!

I wish people would stop talking our Borough and our home down all the time - its pathetic. Have some damn pride about where you live - If you dont like Bracknell - MOVE SOMEWHERE ELSE

People talk about polishing a dog poo.... i was assuming that the development would end up demolishing most of the town.

I cant wait to see the plans!

I admire him for what he says about the Council buildings - they are shockingly bad!

Tom Edwards, Bracknell
29/06/2012 at 10:53

I've lived and worked here since 2000, and I have no faith in this borough council to make anything happen - based on cold hard long term experience. Creating a desirable town centre with some kind of soul is more than just building a smart retail environment. This council needs a shakeup, and it would help if it wasn't totally dominated by one party with 40 out of 42 councillors ensuring lethargy and complacency.

Alistair, Bracknell
29/06/2012 at 10:19

"Cllr Brunel-Walker explained that the original plans, given planning permission in 2006, had now changed which means the development will be smaller"

Key word there - smaller. They really do take us for mugs. I'll tell you why.

Despite much of the vitriol, abuse, and naked criticism leveled at BFC and BRP in these pages there are many of us who desperately want to see Bracknell revived, who think it's actually a pretty good place to live and bring up a family. But these civic-ego wastes of space known as Councillors and 'town centre landlords' know this and trade on it without delivering a single bl**dy thing for the people of Bracknell.

"Cllr Brunel-Walker said, despite not being part of the regeneration itself, the two projects, and the new Waitrose store, were signs housing companies and big name businesses believed the regeneration was imminent"

Not what Helen Barnett said here - http://www.getbracknell.co.uk/news/s/2103952_the_wait_for_waitrose_is_over

Then there's Betsy's comments here - http://www.getbracknell.co.uk/news/s/2108620_town_regeneration_kick_started_by_princess_square_revamp

It smells like a regeneration....?

Camberley Mk II here we come.

"Anyone with views on the town can email him on marc.brunel-walker@bracknell-forest.gov.uk"

I might just try that - see if I have any better luck than getting that two-public-sector-wages no mark Phillip Lee to respond to emails.

Winstanley, Bracknell
29/06/2012 at 10:10

Yeah, yeah, yeah. If it ever happens...

And if it does you can't polish a doo doo as they say.

To have a major impact on the town centre the whole configuration needs to be altered. At the moment it's a closed shop (no pun intended). The shopping area is like a concrete castle surrounded by an inner moat (the ring). The moat isn't even reached by the majority of cars because the outer moat of roundabouts and roads taking them to their destinations keeps them well away. Outsiders never get to know what's behind those concrete ramparts unless they park their cars and venture out of one of the multi-storey carparks into the unknown. And if they do then they are quickly disappointed.

As a resident of Bracknell for the past 14 years, the town centre is not representative of the rest of the town. Very few go in, and fewer come out. It gives the impression of a waiting room for the Jeremy Kyle show (except on Saturdays when a small minority of regular Bracknell residents venture in).

To attract high street retailers and sustain them you need people with money in their pockets to be in the town centre. Those waiting to go on Jeremy Kyle don't have this money, and if they do then they will spend it in shops where their money goes as far as possible (99p store for example). Cost not quality is important to them.

To attract people with money in their pockets you need an environment and shops to attract them.

So it's chicken and egg.

I'm afraid I remain completely sceptical about the whole regeneration project. Sad but true.