Bracknell: Five big projects which didn't go to plan

From the regenerated town centre to our stunning green spaces (which have all just won awards, we should add!) there’s something for everyone in Bracknell Forest.

But the borough could have looked much different if scrapped plans from years gone by had taken shape as originally proposed.

Inspired by our recent report on why Bracknell HealthSpace was never built at Skimped Hill, here’s a few more proposals which didn’t go quite as planned.

The Eye

Before our town centre was given its stunning new revamp, alternate plans envisaged Bracknell’s shopping space with an eye-like design.

The shape of the new town centre would have including a major new covered street “which opened into a striking civic space overlooked by five storeys of development.”

READ MORE: Bracknell's regeneration journey from start to finish

According to research from the Henley Business School, this development would have featured two levels of retail, two levels of food and leisure and a residential level at the top.

Plans submitted by the Bracknell Regeneration Partnership in late 2004 hoped The Eye would be “a new, dramatic, dynamic public space”, with a “water vortex” feature at its heart.

FROM 2009: 'Bracknell regeneration dream will still happen', says Mayor

However, the global financial crash of 2008 meant a serious review of the financial viability of the scheme was needed, resulting in a redesign of the layout which resembled what we have in the town centre today.

Horseshoe Lake redevelopment

Head south from Bracknell and you will find the ever-popular Horseshoe Lake in Sandhurst.

Back in late 2018, Bracknell Forest Council first hinted at plans to turn the Lake area into a country park.

These plans were developed as the new year came around, with further proposals revealing designs for a new pavilion with an integrated cafe, an expanded car park, a natural play area and new changing areas.

READ MORE: Here's what Horseshoe Lake could have looked like

The scheme would have cost £2.6 million and it was hoped around 150,000 people would have visited the revamped site every year.

But the proposals were scrapped following criticism from the community figures, who raised concerns about access and road safety around the area.

Instead, BFC proposed to add ‘simple upgrades’ to Horseshoe Lake.

Earlier this year, the News revealed BFC forked out around £90,000 for the designs for the scrapped scheme.

Demolition of Easthampstead House

The former council officers were earmarked for demolition back in 2017 with a planning application following some months later.

It was anticipated the building would make way for more regeneration in the town centre after all BFC staff moved to Time Square.

But the 1960s building was saved from the bulldozers after This Is Projekt took over the running of the town centre space on a five-year lease.

Now several small businesses are set up in the former council office, now named Easthampstead Works, after it was “reimagined” to become a space for creatives.

Businesses set up here include an escape room, a gym, an art studio and more.

Who knows how this part of the town centre would look now had the building been knocked down?

Bracknell HealthSpace

In case you missed our report earlier this month, decade-old plans for a huge new health centre on the edge of the town centre were officially withdrawn in September.

Bracknell HealthSpace would have been built on Skimped Hill and was set to include GP surgeries, physiotherapists, urgent care facilities, dentists and more.

READ MORE: Here's what HealthSpace may have looked like

But despite councillors giving the proposals their blessing at a planning meeting in 2011, the designs never progressed and were forgotten about by all parties involved.

After almost ten years of sitting in Bracknell Forest’s planning portal, the proposals were finally withdrawn by the council last month.

700 homes in the town centre

It’s important to note that the general outline for this plan has not been scrapped — the council and developers are still hoping to build around 400 homes in central Bracknell as part of a new regeneration scheme worth more than £120 million.

(Updated image included in plan for 400 homes)

But when these housebuilding ambitions were first revealed back in February 2019, the council set out a goal for 700 homes.

(Original image included in 700 homes plan)

However, after teaming up with developers Countryside, this target has been scaled back to 400 homes with more family homes included in the mix.

(Original image included in 700 homes plan)

The regenerated areas — Jubilee Gardens, Market Street and Coopers Hill — will also include new retail and leisure spaces.

Can you think of any recent major developments which didn't go quite to plan? Let us know below!