Bracknell

The future of Bracknell town centre rests inside a three-inch-thick planning agenda containing several hundred pages of detailed proposals.

But a whole new chapter in Bracknell's history could open tonight (Thursday) if planners approve the ambitious £750 million regeneration scheme within the dense document.

Bracknell Regeneration Partnership's (BRP) outline appli-cation was submitted in November 2004, but planning officers have spent months fine-tuning the scheme.

Last month, a major stumbling block was overcome when government conservation agency English Nature withdrew its objections to the scheme.

It was worried the population of three rare bird species on Wildmoor Heath in Sandhurst would be reduced if people from new Bracknell town centre flats walked their dogs there.

But a deal was struck - banning tenants in the new flats from keeping dogs.

Bracknell Cllr Paul Bettison, the borough council leader, said: "I'm thrilled that it's coming forward to the committee. I'm thrilled that it's coming forward with the support of many surrounding towns and neighbouring authorities, and that we have successfully shown some bodies that might have put in objections that their objections were not appropriate.

"I think it represents a huge milestone in the long journey we have had to negotiate for our town centre."

Cllr Bettison said he hoped the regeneration could truly commence if members approved the outline application. The committee will not be considering the design of buildings, as separate applications are due to submitted at a later date.

Bracknell Cllr Bettison added: "This marks the end of the beginning and it will mark the beginning of much hard work."

If the committee does give the nod it could be 18 months before the bulldozers move in, as the scheme also has to be approved by the Government Office for the South East because of its size and significance.

Borough council assistant chief executive Victor Nicholls said there would also be more behind-the-scenes negotiations over Section 106 contributions from BRP, which would fund a range of schemes including road improvements.

The proposal's centrepiece is the Bracknell Eye, a three-storey shopping and leisure complex which would be constructed on land currently covered by 1960s buildings on Crossway, Broadway, service yards behind Broadway and the northern stretch of The Ring.

Cllr Bettison said he hoped Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott would not "call in" the application, as he did with previous ones in 2001, as it was in line with the 2002 Bracknell Masterplan.

The council leader added that the masterplan was drawn up with the full knowledge and backing of Mr Prescott.

The scheme has provoked very little opposition, with the exception of around 155 objections at plans to build a wood chipped-fired renewable energy centre on the 3M roundabout. This would power public buildings.

Objectors, particularly neighbours from Priestwood, worry it would be an eyesore, harmful to the environment, cause noise pollution, and that the scheme does not give adequate detail about its impact.

ic Berkshire ~ Bracknell