Roadmap to revive historic Swindon building to be discussed by Council
Plans are being made to reopen the Mechanics Institute
Plans to get one of Swindon's most famous buildings reopened are to be discussed by the Borough Council next week.
A roadmap on how restore the Mechanics Institute, last open in 1986, has been set out.
The building, which has never been owned by the council, was once a thriving hub of activity at the height of the Railway Works but now sits empty and decaying and is classed as 'at risk' by the Theatres Trust.
It's estimated that the total cost of the project will be in excess of £25 million, over a period of several years to get the building up and running again but a plan, that's been shaped with advice from Historic England, will be tabled at the next Council meeting on 7th February.
The plans sets out three key steps to get the process going, including:
• Securing a viable and sustainable new use for the building
• Identifying how to fund the building
• Addressing the ownership of the building
Also included in the plan is a request for £110,000 of potential funding to progress the project in the future.
Councillor Marina Strinkovsky, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Heritage, Art and Culture, said: “The Mechanics building has played a huge role in the history of Swindon and it's a crying shame it has been empty and disused for so long. It’s time we took the necessary steps to secure a future for it back at the heart of the community.
“While the building's restoration is undoubtedly a huge task, this new roadmap clearly sets out what we need to do in order to bring it into use.
“I look forward to taking on this challenge and to finally seeing the Mechanics and the Railway Village alive and thriving anew.”
The council would look with local partners on the project including the Swindon Heritage Preservation Trust (formerly the Mechanics Institution Trust) and Historic England.
Bob Wright, chairman of the Swindon Heritage Preservation Trust, said: “We believe the cabinet paper proposals are the best chance that Swindon has had to deliver a restored Mechanics since the formation of the Trust.
“This paper is the culmination of all the work given by many to achieve a restored Mechanics Institution.”
The full report and plan can be read here.