Swindon is changing its image for the better. But the company tasked with improving that image needs more input from people in the town. GILES SHELDRICK reports.

THE New Swindon Company is on a drive to arrest what is sees as a "poverty of aspiration" across the borough.

The NSC an amalgamation of members of the business community, the National Trust, Swindon Council, South West Redevelopment Agency and English Partnerships - is the organisation charged with reshaping the centre of Swindon through a series of new buildings, developments and transport links.

As revealed earlier this month, it has divided Swindon into four quarters and has produced artist's impressions of what the town could look like in 15 years' time

But although the company has asked for input from the people who live in the borough, it has been a little taken aback by what it describes as apathy to the project.

The chief executive of the NSC, Peter Andrews, formerly managing director of Tishman International in London, says the response is roughly what he expected, but it went some way to reinforcing his opinion there is a "poverty of aspiration" among those living in the borough.

Only 200 people have so far come forward with suggestions.

By 2018 the town could have a new central library, museum and art gallery all under one roof, an extended Wyvern Theatre to attract more top performers to Swindon, a regenerated Brunel Centre complete with multiplex cinema.

The four quarters of the town would be linked with a high-tech transport system.

Mr Andrews said: "I would like to say that we have been snowed under with responses from people telling us what they want to see in the town centre, but that's not the case.

"To date we've received around 200 responses from people, which is reasonable.

"People want to see more diverse, specialist shops and restaurants, but definitely no more pubs or bars. People say the town centre needs a cinema, but the biggest single issue raised was the library.

"The council has made the library a commitment, but people have been questioning whether it will be delivered.

"The area around the town centre needs to be linked and may be a rapid transport system could do that, but better and more frequent buses is another thing that came out of the responses we've had."

The NSC is confident its plans will succeed. It has even suggested Swindon could become a future European city of culture.

Swindon is broken up into four quarters in the provisional plans the Station Gateway by the rail station, the Heritage Quarter including Emlyn Square and the Mechanics' Institute, the Retail Core including the Brunel Centre and the Commercial and Cultural Quarter, which includes Regent Street.

The Station Gateway is arguably the most important part of the plans as the NSC has identified a dearth of activity north of the railway line. It wants to inject new life into the area by creating an urban village and a footbridge or underpass linking it with the town centre. New entrances to the rail station would also mean improved access.

"Swindon doesn't reflect a town with the fourth highest Gross Domestic Product in the country and nearly 200,000 living here," said Mr Andrews. "The town centre probably services no more than 100,000 people with significantly lower than average GDP.

"Swindon has a problem with its image practically every day on television, radio or in journals people take a swipe at the town and that has a knock-on effect.

"Some people saw my moving to Swindon as a backward step into a public role they thought it would reduce my earnings potential, but I saw that the town had potential in bucket loads.

"There are other towns with far more problems than Swindon. People are quick to criticise, but poor to respond that indicates that we must be doing something right."

Westfield's plans for a revamped Havelock Street and Brunel Centre form part of a massive scheme to overhaul the retail core and natural heart of Swindon, while the University of Bath's institute of contemporary arts and revamped Wyvern Theatre form part of larger plans to expand the commercial and cultural quarter.

For many years Swindon has lagged behind neighbouring towns and cities such as Reading, Oxford, Gloucester and Bristol whose state-of-the-art shopping facilities attract hoardes of visitors.

Private finance will pay for the majority of the redevelopment, which is expected to cost more than £1 billion, but key partners will also contribute. In addition the NSC is eligible for heritage lottery and European social funding.

If you want to register your opinions with the New Swindon Company log onto www.newswindon.co.uk or email info@newswindon.co.uk