DEVELOPERS have promised to demolish the Swindon College building in Regent Circus but want to know what to replace it with.

Developers Ashfield Land and Parkridge Developments want residents to tell them what to replace the college building with.

They have taken over a shop in the Brunel Centre to collect ideas tomorrow and Saturday.

Ashfield Land managing director Andrew Fisher said that the joint venture partners would pull down all buildings except the red brick former school in Victoria Street.

He said they want to hear what residents want on the site.

He said that the companies had loose plans for the development to include a mixed use of housing, offices, leisure, recreation and restaurant uses but no details have been confirmed.

"I don't think there's any doubt whatsoever that we will demolish the building in Regent Circus," Mr Fisher said.

But its replacement is still to be decided.

"This is part of finding a view of what the community feels is right in Swindon," Mr Fisher said.

"Then you have to balance that with commercial realities."

Mr Fisher said that residents' opinions and suggestions would be collected and included in the plans to be presented to the New Swindon Company and the council.

"There will be a proposal in three months' time," Mr Fisher said.

"It will be a genuine mixed use scheme."

He said the college site played an important part in linking Old Town and the town centre.

Mr Fisher said the mechanical college building was not listed but would be retained because it was an attractive part of the site.

Past suggestions have included restaurants and a cinema.

He said that the joint venture partners had been responsible for similar regeneration developments in Brighton, Bristol and Birmingham.

"This is re-use and development," Mr Fisher said.

"There's a lot going on in Swindon at the moment with Granville Street and other sites."

The consultation will run tomorrow and Saturday from 9am to 5.30pm in the shop adjacent to Boots in the Brunel Centre.

Building has a long and fluctuating history

SWINDON College's roots lie in the opening of the Swindon and North Wilts Secondary School and Technical Institution in 1896.

It was Swindon's first secondary school and was credited with being one of the major factors that helped Old Town and New Town join together, placed as it was between the two.

The two "towns" had endured a friendly, and sometimes hostile rivalry as the newer area grew in size and influence.

In 1891 the two joined together to contribute £7,000 to the technical college, which opened five years later. It grew quickly.

In 1896 there were 50 day-school pupils.

In 1902 there were 150, and 324 in 1904 .

Over the years the school had several different names, although most people know it as the technical college.