AS dates go, July 20 may have passed most people by, but it could very well turn out to be a significant moment in Swindon’s recent history.

For while shareholders in construction giant Skanska will be extremely pleased the company won the contract to build Zurich’s new state-of-the-start offices just off Fleming Way, Monday’s announcement will mean so much more for people in Swindon.

It secures Zurich’s longstanding presence in Swindon, will provide top-class facilities for the firm’s 950-strong workforce, and marks the start of a much-needed rejuvenation of an area of the town centre which is badly in need of investment.

A tremendous amount of work has gone on behind the scenes to make Zurich’s office the anchor building for the Kimmerfields site, the area of vacant land that stretches from the Tri-Centre up to the Jury’s Inn.

Council officers have been working tirelessly to make the land available for Zurich and proposals will come forward for the rest of the site in due course.

When the Zurich building is completed in two years’ time the council will buy it and lease it back to the insurance company who will provide the council with a rental income for the next 20 years on the majority of the building.

The office block will be built to high environmental standards and will set the bar for future development in the town centre.

Providing 100,000 sq ft of office space over six floors with a terrace and function space at roof level, there are also plans to have a beehive on the rooftop with any honey sold raising money for Zurich’s charitable arm the Zurich Community Trust.

Electric car charging will be installed for visitors and excellent cycle facilities will also be provided to encourage employees to use sustainable transport.

Having high quality office accommodation of this standard in our town centre will raise office rental values, which have suffered in Swindon over recent years, and act as a trigger for further investment in the town.

The council’s investment also sends a clear signal of our ambition to revitalise the heart of our town and we will now be turning our attention to other projects to ensure we build on the momentum created by this week’s announcement.

We are extremely hopeful our bid to the government for £25m in funding for the Fleming Way Bus Boulevard will be successful in the next few months, while an investment plan is being drawn up to access a further £25m tranche of government funding through the Towns Fund.

Let us hope there are plenty more significant dates to come for the future of our town.