Swindon Link Weekly Article - 13th February

I was delighted to attend the launch of the new Cineworld Cinema at the recently completed £30 million Regent Circus development. It was great to see the new collection of restaurants up and running alongside the cinema, including Nando’s, Ask, Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Prezzo and Coal’s Bar & Grill.

This development is just one of the major regeneration projects that are taking place across our town. It comes in addition to the £35 million extension to the Designer Outlet Village, and the announcement of a new major redevelopment to the Northern Orbital Shopping Centre.

Under the last Government, regeneration in our town came to a standstill as Labour’s Great Recession bankrupted developers. Now however, as the economy has continued to grow since 2010, our town is turning itself around with increased investment, more job creation and further development.

Last week I joined the global TNT group to celebrate the announcement of a brand new £15.5 million super depot site in South Marston which is set to create 250 new jobs locally. This week I also attended the 50th anniversary of Swindon-based Torin-Sifan as they opened a new Manufacturing and Technology Centre at Pagoda Park which is set to lead the way when it comes to energy efficient technology. These global companies are just two of the world-class employers who have chosen to base themselves in Swindon, due to it’s competitive edge and promising future.

The Government is also committed to improving our infrastructure and boosting local transport. So far £140 million has been announced towards helping local projects, including a new £3 million town centre bus station. We are also set to benefit considerably from Great Westerns electrification of the Great Western line which will see faster services and improved trains to London and across the South West, resulting in significantly reduced journey times.

We also continue to lead the way with the fastest economic recovery across the whole of the South West. Since 2010, 8,400 more people have found jobs in our town, resulting in a staggering 62.9% fall in unemployment. Prospects have also increased for our young people, with youth unemployment falling by 63.6% and 7,010 newly created apprenticeships. The Government has also reduced taxes to help people deal with the cost of living – in Swindon, 86,074 people have received an Income Tax cut.

With increased investment, new developments and further job creation – the future certainly looks bright for Swindon. As the local MP I will continue to champion Swindon to major retailers, global companies and national developers. As local residents we should all be proud and excited of the direction that our town is heading in.