SHOPPERS and residents have backed a Government plan to fill empty shops with art galleries and learning centres to avoid the ghost town effect descending on Swindon.

A number of residents expressed concern about the number of vacant premises in the town, during a busy day out at the shops over Easter weekend.

And although disagreements remain about when the downturn will come to an end, many shoppers believe that town centre districts, including Commercial Road, need a boost.

“It’s not a ghost town yet but if it keeps going this way it will be soon, shops are starting to go under at a very fast rate and no-one is coming in to replace them,” said Jad Ali, an estate agent in Commercial Road.

“I think any sort of plan that brings people into the town centre and gives them something to do while they shop while supporting community artist is a move in the right direction.”

Communities secretary Hazel Blears is unveiling measures to give councils extra powers to change the use of empty premises without being bound by existing planning rules, as part of a push to help town centres through the recession.

She hopes the plan will help landlords take on temporary occupiers until the premises become commercially viable by drawing up interim-use contracts with a proper legal basis.

Where landlords do not want to lease to temporary occupiers, ministers will call on councils to step in as intermediaries and grant similar interim licenses to local groups for community use.

Ms Blears, who will today chair a seminar with councils, business leaders, landlords and town centre managers to discuss ways to keep town centres thriving, will argue that temporarily converting empty shops into social enterprises, art displays or learning centres will help communities prevent their high streets becoming “ghost towns”.

She said: “Town centres are the heartbeat of every community and businesses are the foundation so it is vital that they remain vibrant places for people to meet and shop throughout the downturn. Empty shops can be eyesores or crime magnets. Our ideas for reviving town centres – which I urge Swindon Council to consider – will give communities the know-how to temporarily transform vacant premises into something innovative for the community and stop the high street being boarded up.”