Thriving and connected economy

The local economy includes many different aspects, such as businesses, jobs, skills, accommodation, and services. These shape the environment for what it’s like to live and work here. Bracknell Forest is a popular place to live, and it is attractive for a range of industries from construction and distribution to science and technology. The borough is well connected, both with physical infrastructure as well as networks and internet. 

Over the last 10 years, there has been significant regeneration of Bracknell town centre to create a lively and welcoming destination for visitors and residents. There is further ambition to extend the success through leisure and night time experiences.

As a new town, many of the neighbourhood areas surrounding the town centre were built at a similar time and we know that investment is needed to enhance these community hubs. Beyond this, the wider towns and villages within the borough also form anchors to our community and continuing to invest and work with these areas is important.

We have a strong foundation of local education for young people. However, there are further opportunities to develop advanced level skills and link this to our local employment and businesses. Upskilling residents will open more opportunities to work within the borough, strengthening our economy.

Our ambition for the borough

Resident skills are enhanced, meeting local employment needs.

Bracknell town centre continues to thrive and be a destination of choice.

Town, village and neighbourhood centres are thriving hubs for community activity.

Businesses have the space, environment, and support to adapt and grow.

Measuring our ambitions

Resident skills are enhanced, meeting local employment gaps

We will measure this by:

  1. Reducing the proportion of residents who are unemployed.
  2. Increasing uptake of local apprenticeships and traineeships.

Bracknell town centre continues to thrive and be a destination of choice

We will measure this by:

  1. Increasing visits to the town centre.
  2. An increase in the development of new homes within the town centre.

Town, village and neighbourhood centres are thriving hubs for community activity

We will measure this by:

  1. Increasing the attractiveness (cleanliness) of neighbourhood centres.
  2. Maintaining high occupancy of neighbourhood centre units.

Businesses have the space, environment, and support to adapt and grow

We will measure this by:

  1. Increasing sustainability of new businesses in the borough.
  2. An increase in the growth of new businesses.
  3. Maintaining high occupancy of council owned business units.

Key projects

By 2027, we will have:

  • facilitated the delivery of a new community hub in Warfield
  • actively encouraged and supported the provision of meanwhile uses and activities for unoccupied space in Bracknell Town Centre (previous Bentall’s site)