THE details of Cavendish Square's compulsory takeover have been announced ahead of its revamp.

Swindon Council has published plans of the compulsory acquisition order it will use to buy up land for the area's refurbishment.

The orders are the last step before buildings are demolished to make way for an improved shopping area, expanded library and school and sports facilities.

The plans will see most of the buildings demolished with the central tower building being renovated.

Council cabinet member for health, housing and social care, Coun David Renard, said the order was a fail-safe to make sure the scheme goes ahead.

"The council is in talks with or has reached amicable arrangements with people living and working in Cavendish Square affected by the regeneration scheme," he said.

"The compulsory purchase order is purely a contingency plan to ensure the whole scheme does not fail because agreement cannot be reached with a small minority.

"Negotiations are continuing regarding the finer details of the commercial aspects of the scheme and the council is committed to the project and creating a Cavendish Square of which we can all be proud.

"The community is at the heart of Swindon Council's scheme to redevelop Cavendish Square.

"As well as working with developers, both commercial and residential, the council has worked with the community from the earliest stages to shape the project."

Through the project, the council is fulfilling, in part, Promise 39 of its Swindon 2010 commitments to redevelop a range of sites, including Cavendish Square.

In March, the Adver reported Cavendish Square businesses feared they would "die" if the council did not get a move on with the redevelopment.

Most of the square's 27 shop units then stood empty as their owners waited for the redevelopment.

The square began life in 1955 when Swindon was rapidly developing and families from London were taking advantage of new jobs and opportunities by moving in to Walcot.

The influx of residents sparked plans for commercial developments and Sussex Square was completed three years later.

Cavendish Square and shops in Marlowe Avenue quickly followed.

Both squares had covered shopping precincts to provide shelter.

As the Parks and Walcot estates were near local shops they were seen as an attractive alternative to living in the town centre.

Cavendish Square itself contained the Park Neighbourhood Centre opened by Lord Hastings on April 16, 1964 an event commemorated with a plaque.

In 1989 the plans were unveiled for a £1m facelift of the area, which had become run down. It was completed in May 1992.

The current plans were first mooted in 2003 but a developer was not found until the following year.

Richard Holmes, group general manager property for the Midcounties Co-operative, said their shop would stay open throughout the development.