Shopping centre opened in 2014 could be demolished

A shopping complex built just 11 years ago might be demolished in January.

Regent Circus, built for £50m on the former Swindon College site, has seen big names such as Morrisons and Cineworld move out in recent years - with restaurant Nando's the only business left.

A proposal has been lodged with Swindon Borough Council to partially demolish the shopping and leisure complex, with a suggested date for that to start being 30 January 2026.

Details of who could buy the new site and when this could happen have not been confirmed.

The planning application, submitted by Manchester-based property investment company MCR Property Group, wants to knock down most of the flagship development at the top of the town centre, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

It says the company is seeking permission for: "The partial demolition of the Regent Circus Complex.

"The complex will be demolished bar the commercial unit containing Nando's alongside the segment of the complex providing step-free access to this unit and the associated public realm.

"All other structures associated with the site are to be demolished."

A public notice on the totem sign at the front of the complex suggests work could begin on 30 January.

Opened in October 2014 as a flagship retail and leisure development, Regent Circus once contained a huge Morrisons supermarket, a six-screen Cineworld cinema as well as restaurants and bars such as Nando's and Boom Battle Bar.

Now, only Nando's remains operating in the complex.

Swindon Borough Council's planning department has set itself a deadline of 15 January for deciding on the proposals, which were submitted on 18 December.

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