Developments In Swindon

Swindon is situated midway between Bristol (35 miles to the west) and Reading (35 miles to the east), and London is 71 miles to the east. In the 2011 census, the population of the built-up area of Swindon was 185,609 and the larger borough had a population of 209,000 which was an increase of just over 16% in ten years.

The McArthurGlen Swindon Designer Outlet is housed in the beautifully renovated Grade II listed buildings of the Great Western Railway Works and is one of the largest covered designer outlets in Europe.

Shoppers revel in the mix of high street and designer brands, reduced by up to 60 per cent. There are over 90 top name stores including John Lewis Home Outlet, Kurt Geiger, Superdry, Hugo Boss, Hobbs, LK Bennett, Marks & Spencer Outlet, Ted Baker, and Tommy Hilfiger will keep you browsing for hours.

Property prices in Swindon are currently good, being below the national and the regional averages by 3% and 12.5% respectively. They saw an increase of a little over 6% in the last year. Swindon’s economy today is diverse, with Honda and BMW/Mini car manufacturing, several insurance/financial services companies and banking institutions. 

The energy company RWE which includes the well-known retail brand Npower, the fuel card and fleet management company Arval and pharmaceutical companies such as Canada’s Patheon and the United States-based Catalent Pharma Solutions and French Medical Supplies Manufacturer Vygon (UK) Ltd have their UK divisions headquartered in the town.

Swindon is also undergoing a £750-million regeneration programme currently, fronted by the Borough Council. The aim is to make the area an even better place to live and work, by the refurbishment of the leisure centre, creating a town centre cinema and restaurants complex, alongside constructing new office space and housing, to draw new businesses and tenants. That means Swindon property investment is ideal for you if you're looking for a property within a major town for your portfolio.
 

Economy & Employment

Major employers include the Honda UK car production plant at an old Vickers factory site on the former World War II RAF base of South Marston and BMW/Mini in Stratton.

Insurance and financial services companies such as Nationwide Building Society and Zurich Financial Services, along with banks such as Barclays, NatWest, HSBC, Lloyds TSB and Handelsbanken all have a commercial presence here.

Mobile phone companies Alcatel-Lucent and Nokia Solutions and Networks also have bases here.

International engineering consultancy firm Halcrow Group Limited and retailer WH Smith’s distribution centre and headquarters are in Swindon.

The town also has several professional legal firms such as Clarke Holt, Thring Townsend, Lemon & Co, together with accountants such as Dennis & Turnbull and RSM Tenon.

Swindon is also the registered Head Office of the National Trust, and the European head office of the electronics company Intel is on the south side of the town.
 

Investment

In Autumn 2014, a new phase with an additional 30 new stores and restaurants opened at the McArthurGlen Swindon Designer Outlet. Swindon Borough Council is fronting an exciting regeneration programme worth more than £750 million, the aim is to make Swindon an even better place to live and work.

Projects include:

• Refurbishing the Oasis Leisure Centre and developing a larger leisure zone

• Creating a town centre cinema and restaurants complex on the old Swindon College site

• Upgrading Swindon’s station forecourt

• Regenerating Kimmerfields (Union Square), Swindon’s central business district.

• Kimmerfields is Swindon’s £350-million flagship scheme that aims to create a new commercial heart for the town.

• Spanning 18 acres, this mixed-use development will comprise 650,000 square feet of offices, 150,000 square feet of retail, 450 residential units, a Primary Care Trust centre, a bus exchange, & a new 850-space multi-storey car park.
 

Shops & Leisure

The McArthurGlen Designer Outlet is fully pedestrianised and offers both an indoor and outdoor shopping experience. Whether you are in search of the latest fashion, or have an eye for a bargain, this is the place to be. For those more creative purchases look out for the local and international markets that regularly come to the town.

Regent Circus is the newest addition to Swindon’s leisure offering. Opened in early 2015 it features a 6-screen cinema with several restaurants, a large Morrisons and ample car parking.

There is a buzzing arts scene with many events taking place throughout the year at venues including the Wyvern Theatre, Arts Centre, and Library.

Green Spaces: Coate Water Country Park is a 56-acre reservoir built in the 1820s for the Wiltshire and Berkshire Canal. It was later converted to Wiltshire’s first Local Nature Service and is now a Site of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI). Lydiard Park is the ancestral home of the Viscounts Bolingbroke. The Palladian house, beautiful church, walled garden, and formal parkland are the remains of a great country estate.