Council awarded grant for town regeneration project

The redevelopment of a town centre train station featuring a new entrance and improved car park has moved a step closer.

Swindon Borough Council has been awarded £100,000 from the government to give to Network Rail to develop designs for a new northern entrance to the town's railway station, the "crucial" first stage of a huge regeneration scheme.

It comes after the council pitched a new vision for the town at the House of Lords, in a bid to help adapt to its growing population and resolve complaints from residents over the car park facilities at the train station.

Council leader Jim Robbins said the authority is "willing to put in the effort to make sure we build a better Swindon."

A multi-storey car park will be built on the train station's north car park, which will be accessible from North Star.

The surface car parks on the south side of the railway tracks will then become available for development.

The plans also include the redevelopment of more than 100 acres of brownfield land, creating a new commercial district, thousands of jobs and hundreds of new homes.

Network Rail, Great Western Railway, Homes England, the Department for Business and Trade, UK Research and Innovation and Business West will work with the council on the plans.

Network Rail has said the Swindon regeneration is a priority following work to upgrade Bristol Temple Meads and Cardiff Central stations.

Mr Robbins said it is "great" to receive the money and the project will help resolve complaints from residents about the station's car park and drop-off areas.

"Creating this new entrance and car park will open the door for the transformation of the train station and the wider Railway Quarter area," he said.

"It has the potential to become a new destination Swindon residents can be proud of and will include new residential, amenities and space for new organisations to join the growing list of knowledge-based groups already in the Carriage Works."

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