News

2013 big year for Bracknell regeneration

By Becky Barnes
January 03, 2013

The year 2013 will be a big one for the regeneration according to town centre planners as they prepare for the next stages of development.

The Bracknell Regeneration Partnership (BRP) team, which introduced a phased regeneration in 2012 to accelerate the scheme, say last year was when plans began to take shape, but promise more this year with an exhibition of the proposals later this month.

Cllr Marc Brunel Walker, executive member for economic development and regeneration at Bracknell Forest Council, said: “Last year was a very exciting year for the town centre regeneration scheme with Marks & Spencer and Cineworld making a commitment to the new town centre.

“The council has been working hard behind the scenes with BRP and I know 2013 will be even bigger with more announcements from retailers and the regeneration scheme moving further forward.”

Poundworld is the latest retailer which will move in to Princess Square imminently and shops in the area being demolished have been handed compulsory purchase orders, meaning their leases will terminate in June.

As shops and businesses vacate their premises, a survey from the Local Data Company revealed the percentage of empty shops in the town in September 2012 was 22.6 per cent, up 3.2 per cent from 2011 and the highest in Berkshire.

Helen Barnett, marketing manager at BRP, said: “We are going to be flattening half of our town – we have to make some of the town empty so we can go ahead with the regeneration.”

“These figures are not accurate and are not actually reflective of what is happening in the town.

“Before Christmas, Charles Square was fully let and Princess Square nearly all let

“Some we still get rent for and we can’t relet because we haven’t got the leases back, although some we could let them three times over.”

Plans for the phased regeneration will be unveiled to the public at an exhibition at Princess Square on Friday, January 18, and Saturday, January 19.

Helen added: “The exhibition of plans will give everyone the chance to see what the phased regeneration will mean to the town centre.

“Following the public consultation, these plans will be submitted to the council as the next stage in the regeneration process.”

People are being urged to come to the exhibition and have their say.

Graham Oakley, manager of Waitrose, Bond Way, which has just celebrated trading for a year, said: “In what has undoubtedly been a challenging year for businesses, it’s encouraging to hear about all the new
investment that is going to be made in the town.

“As the regeneration continues, we believe there is a massive opportunity to ensure Bracknell remains a real shopping destination in the future and we are confident that both ourselves and the town’s others traders will be able to build on theirexisting trade."

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Most recent user comments 7 of 7

Agree with all that's been said.

I go to Windsor/Slough/Reading for Debenhams, H and M, Matalan, Lush and even Primark as a good variety that suits all pockets

Princess Square needs a restaurant as well, not a sandwich bar, coffee shop or takeaway

As a caeliac I would love to sit and have a lunchtime meal in the town centre

With three Poundland type shops and Brighthouse maybe the shops have done the statistics and decided that only these type of retail outlets are desirable to Bracknell.

CMK
06/01/2013 at 18:09

Unless we get stores like Debenhams, BHS, Marks and Spencer and the like is the Regeneration really going to change people's mindset from travelling to places like Reading or Staines. After all, both of these places are only only 20 - 25minutes away on the train and offer a far better variety of shops.

Gareth Phillips, Bracknell
05/01/2013 at 09:26

"Princess Square nearly all let" ............ no it isn't. The BRP are at their very best when they're boarding things up in a discrete way, hoping we won't notice, but despite being a Chicken, I ain't stupid. As you approach Princess Square, the first unit on the left (formerly D&A) is still vacant, but artfully boarded. Then the left side of that corridor has three, maybe four units empty. The opposite side has a couple of gaps. And upstairs has huge chunks missing like a mouth of rotting teeth. And Poundworld isn't a feather in anyone's cap, is it? Princess Square loose Currys and Principals, but gain Poundworld. Anyone who's singing and dancing about that needs their bumps felt!

Frank Chicken
04/01/2013 at 14:24

Is the number of empty shops really that relevant at the moment? I don't want the town centre to decline any futher, but I think its understandable that it has done so.

Apart from the financial climate, uncertainty over the redevelopment would surely make any retailer, multiple or independent, think twice before committing thousands of pounds on a store in the town.

I hope the exhibition in January will finally show the residents of Bracknell what is coming and a commitment from the Bracknell Regeneration Partnership as to "when".

Only then can we all get behind it. Heres hoping...

Scooby41
04/01/2013 at 13:00

"Local Data Company revealed the percentage of empty shops in the town in September 2012 was 22.6 per cent, up 3.2 per cent from 2011 and the highest in Berkshire."

".....These figures are not accurate" [Helen Branett]

Why Helen? Because they're inconvenient?

I somehow doubt a company that counts Tesco, ITN, Adidas, McDonalds, and John Lewis as clients is going to produce inaccurate data.

Whereas your own record of accuracy and providing a 'reflective' idea of where Bracknell stands leaves a lot to be desired.

Winstanley, Bracknell
03/01/2013 at 11:48

This looks promising. I shall be interested to view the plans and have a clearer understanding of the timeframe to deliver on the said plans.

Perhaps 2013 will be a "ground breaking" year.

Neal Evans, Forest Park
03/01/2013 at 10:38

This is great. Good to hear that the public have a chance to view the plans, but also that half the town will be flattened. Slightly worrying that 'Poundworld' is the latest retailer to move into Princess Square. Not sure how that improves the quality shops we currently don't have in town? Surely bigger name shops and retail partners need to be incentivised to locate in Bracknell with better lease terms than they would otherwise get elsewhere to encourage and get a better high street presence for BRP? If Waitrose have done it surely others can be convinced.