THREE people have been appointed to help shape the new face of Swindon.

The New Swindon Company has the job of revitalising the town centre and has drawn up a masterplan for the future including The Exchange, the area near Fleming Way, and the Promenade, which will be the cultural quarter with Swindon's new library.

Three representatives from some of Swindon's flagship companies will now join New Swindon's board.

Jim Willens from Nationwide, Mike Godfrey from Honda and Phil Wood from Zurich start this week.

Mr Wood, Zurich's UK Life human resources director, said: "We are keen to be involved, because we are still one of the biggest employers in the town centre and we are keen to make sure that we play our part. We hope we can be a big influence.

"The Exchange development is going to butt up against the Tri-centre buildings, so we are right in the thick of it. The crucial thing is the vitality of the town centre - we've got an awful lot of people who work here, and people tend to leave at the end of the day and go. The more we can do to make people stay in the town centre, the better.

"The exciting thing is that the plans are now becoming reality."

The new arrivals join Peter James, New Swindon's chief executive, Tom Higginson from Network Rail, Mark Suddaby, managing director of Newsquest Wiltshire, which owns the Swindon Advertiser, Glynis Breakwell vice chancellor of the University of Bath, and Sarah Bush who represents the community.

The new appointments come after Rosa Matheson from Swindon Arts and Barry Lingard from the Swindon Initiative, as those two organisations have been superseded.

Vyv Attwood from Zurich has also stepped down due to retirement.

New Swindon Company chairman John Cullum said: "The enthusiasm and contributions by Rosa, Barry and Vyv over the last few years has helped shape the regeneration plans.

"They will be missed by the team. On behalf of the company and board I am pleased to welcome the new board members."

Also on the board are the funding partners of The New Swindon Company, the South West Regional Development Agency, English Partnerships and Swindon Council, which is represented by council leader Rod Bluh and Labour leader Coun Kevin Small. As well as the Exchange and Promenade, the masterplan includes the Hub, which aims to expand Swindon's shopping area, the Arena, which will be a mixture of shops and businesses, North Star Village which will be for housing, the Campus, a business park north of the railway line, and Swindon Central which will revitalise the railway area.