The government has cleared the compulsory purchase order of the land for Legal & General and Schroder’s £750m regeneration of
A public inquiry decision into the 1.4m sq ft regeneration scheme has given the go-ahead to the compulsory purchase of six pieces of land and property in the
A two-week inquiry was held in February this year after 27 local objectors raised concerns over Bracknell Forest council’s CPO for the 90-acre scheme.
However, seven complaints were withdrawn prior to the beginning of the inquiry, and none of the remaining complainants decided to press on and give evidence at the inquiry.
The public inquiry closed without a single formal objection made and plans were referred to the secretary of state before being given the go-ahead this week.
Plans were first drawn up in 2002 and received planning consent in 2006. They comprise 667,370 sq ft of offices, 602,785 sq ft of shops, 1,000 homes, 161,460 sq ft of leisure and public buildings.
Work on the Richard-Rogers-designed scheme is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2009.
Council chief executive Tim Wheadon said the success of the CPOs was a cause for “relief”.
“I received notification from the secretary of state today [Tuesday] that the CPOs have been approved,” he told members of an executive meeting on Tuesday.
“Now we need to maintain dialogue with Bracknell Regeneration Partnership, but the largest legal hurdle [to the regeneration] has now been passed.”
Cllr Paul Bettison added: “We have a big meeting with BRP coming up, when we will discuss the detailed plans for what will happen next.”
Jones Lang LaSalle is advising the development consortium, the Bracknell Regeneration Partnership.
