The Swindon Civic Trust is a voluntary organisation and registered charity established in Swindon,

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

in 2001. Affiliated to the Civic Trust of England and Wales, the organisation's stated aims are to improve the quality of new and historic buildings and public spaces, and to help improve the general quality of urban life.

History

The Trust was formed in 2001 at the

AGM AGM or agm may refer to: Military * Air-to-ground missile, a missile designed to be launched from military aircraft * Artillery Gun Module, an air-portable self-propelled howitzer * Missile Range Instrumentation Ship (US Navy hull classification ...

of the New Mechanics' Institution Preservation Trust, a group with the primary aim of preventing the destruction and disuse of

Swindon Mechanics' Institute Swindon Mechanics' Institute is a Grade II* listed building in Swindon, Wiltshire. It is located in the railway village area, which is today part of a conservation area. The Swindon Mechanics' Institute served workers from the Swindon Railway W ...

, and since then it has become a vocal campaigner in the town for a variety of topics. The Civic Trust applied for registered charity status in 2002. Operating under the motto "Working together to create a better Swindon", the trust issued questionnaires to all candidates for the 2006 local elections to be held in May, canvassing them on their views of how to improve, develop and promote Swindon and published the answers on their website.

Campaigns

Swindon Town Centre Regeneration

The trust put forwards its own proposals for the regeneration of Swindon Town Centre in 2004, as it felt the omission of Further Education or University campus' by

Swindon Borough Council Swindon Borough Council is the local authority of the Borough of Swindon in Wiltshire, England. It is a unitary authority, having the powers of a non-metropolitan county and district council combined. As such, it is administratively separate from ...

and the New Swindon Company was flawed. "The trust strongly believed that a town centre university was vital for the successful economic and social regeneration of the central area." The New Swindon Company originally rejected the idea of a campus in its scheme, claiming there was no room in the centre for such a development. Swindon Civic Trust canvassed the local population and identified various sites in the Town Centre where such a complex could be constructed.

Blue Plaques

The trust campaigned for recognition of Swindon's landmarks and notable residences, these are commemorated elsewhere in the United Kingdom through English Heritage's

Blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving as a historical marker. The term i ...

scheme. Following acceptance, Swindon Civic Trust are now the body that issues and erects these plaques in the Swindon area. The initial plaque was erected on the former residence of the de Villet family who were (with the

Goddard family The Goddard family were a prominent landed family chiefly living in the northern region of the English counties of Wiltshire and Hampshire and the western part of Berkshire, between the Tudor period and the early 20th century. The Goddard famil ...

) one of the most influential families in Swindon from the period 1600-1900. The Civic Trust has invited local residents to nominate further sitings of Blue Plaques in the town.

Coate Water

Coate Water Country Park Coate Water () is a country park situated to the southeast of central Swindon, England, near junction 15 of the M4. It takes its name from its main feature, a reservoir originally built to provide water for the Wilts & Berks Canal. Now nam ...

lies on the eastern outskirts of Swindon, it is a large nature reserve that also contains a pre-historic Stone Circle. Following Swindon Borough Council's decision not to site a University Campus in the Town Centre, they earmarked land adjacent to Coate Water and the

Great Western Hospital The Great Western Hospital is a large hospital in Swindon, Wiltshire, England, near junction 15 of the M4 motorway. It opened in 2002 and is run by the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. History The original hospital in Swindon w ...

as a potential site for a satellite campus for the

University of Bath (Virgil, Georgics II) , mottoeng = Learn the culture proper to each after its kind , established = 1886 (Merchant Venturers Technical College) 1960 (Bristol College of Science and Technology) 1966 (Bath University of Technology) 1971 (univ ...

. The Civic Trust opposed this move, stating that any development in this area would in all likelihood impact on the local ecosystem. The Trust once again pointed out the potential for a Campus location in the Town Centre, stating that - "The town centre desperately needs the stimulus that a central campus would bring if it is to attract developers for its long overdue redevelopment" The issue was further compounded when Coate Water was voted "Swindon's Favourite Place" by the local population, in a competition organised by the trust. Protests, including the 2004 "Hands around Coate Water" event, have heightened awareness of the Trust's campaign. Revised plans for the development are to be submitted.

Promotion of Swindon's heritage

Swindon Civic Trust assisted English Heritage and the

Steam Museum A museum ( ) is an institution that displays and preserves objects of significance. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects in public display, and some have private collections that are used by researchers and specialists. Compared to ...

in the organisation of Brunel 200, the local and national celebration of

Isambard Kingdom Brunel Isambard Kingdom Brunel (; 9 April 1806 – 15 September 1859) was a British civil engineer who is considered "one of the most ingenious and prolific figures in engineering history," "one of the 19th-century engineering giants," and "one ...

's 200th birthday. The trust arranged exhibitions in the town displaying historic images and records celebrating amongst others, the impact of the

Great Western Railway The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company that linked London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 mill ...

and also the siting of the GWR Works in the town.

Notes

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External links

Official Swindon Civic Trust Website
(no longer online)
Swindon Gallery
''(no longer online) - Swindon Civic Trust Website aiming to create a visual record of the town
savecoate.org.uk
''(no longer online) - Campaign website to prevent development of

2001 establishments in England Organisations based in Swindon Charities based in Wiltshire Heritage organisations in England Civic societies in the United Kingdom