Bracknell Forest Council has reconfirmed its commitment to further regenerate Bracknell town centre to ensure it is a culturally self-confident, resilient, sociable and welcoming place for many years to come.
The council’s executive member for economic development and regeneration, Cllr Marc Brunel-Walker, agreed to publish the Bracknell Town Centre Vision 2032 at the end of last month.
The vision, which has been prepared by the council working with highly experienced urban design and property experts, sets out potential plans for the town’s further redevelopment in the short-term, medium-term and long-term.
It reconfirms the council’s pledge to create a town centre fit for the 21st Century; further building on the huge success of The Lexicon.
It states in the short term, the focus will be on:
- identifying and unlocking key sites within the town centre that have immediate development potential. This includes Easthampstead House, which has recently been leased for up to 5 years to a company to transform it in to a business hub for up to 35 fledgling businesses
- redeveloping the area around the Royal British Legion and Jubilee Gardens to create new, more attractive street frontages
- looking at the potential for the civic and station quarters and the work needed to reconfigure roads around those areas
In the medium term it says the focus will be on:
- looking at the potential for office and residential buildings within the town
- redeveloping sites in the civic quarter, including Easthampstead House and the old magistrates’ court
- remodelling the roads around the southern quarter and developing the land in that area, using a phased approach
In the long-term it says the focus will be on:
- further examining issues that could impact its success, for example driverless cars, in order to future-proof it for future generations
- looking at expanding the regeneration even further to the west – to connect the Peel Centre and Western Industrial Area to the town centre
The council will take an active role in ensuring the vision is realised for the benefit of its residents, businesses and visitors - working closely with landowners, developers and residents.
Cllr Marc Brunel-Walker, executive member for economic development and regeneration, said:
“The Lexicon has been a runaway success and shows just what can be achieved by a committed and determined council, working with equally determined and committed developers.
“While The Lexicon is extremely successful, we’ve always said the town’s overall regeneration will happen in phases and so the vision up to 2032 looks at where we will be focussing our attention next to bring about the overall redevelopment. This isn’t a quick process and it’s important we take the time to get it right for residents now and in the future.
“The aim is that Bracknell town centre in 2032 is a culturally self-confident, resilient, welcoming and sociable place – providing what our residents and visitors need and want.”
