Positive news for Bracknell town centre is expected after Bracknell Forest Council confirmed it will meet the owners of The Lexicon "imminently".
The long-empty site known as The Deck - the former Bentalls department store - has stood unused since The Lexicon takeover in 2021. The 4,660 m² space is closed to the public, with no trees or open area for people to meet or children to play.
Cllr Paul Bidwell, Cabinet Member for Adults, Economy and Regeneration, said he hoped close collaboration would produce a scheme for families, perhaps blending homes with places for children to enjoy and adults to take a break.
He added: "I believe Bracknell Forest and the Lexicon owners are on the same page about making the Lexicon an even better experience for families than it is already."
Bidwell told the LDRS an ideal plan could include a "mixture of residential, community spaces, and a small amount of retail."
Council leader Helen Purnell said: "I'm open to ideas about what should be there but my preference would be something that can engage children."
She continued: "Somewhere for children to go and relax, where mum and dad can go for a relaxing coffee whilst the children are entertained – and something for older children too."
Planning rules mean a proposal made up solely of housing could be hard for the council to resist if it cannot show a five-year housing land supply - a "tilted balance" favours development unless harms significantly outweigh benefits.
The Deck has seen several stalled schemes. A 2019 plan for restaurants and leisure was dropped after the then owner called it "commercially unviable" in 2023, blaming the pandemic and rising construction costs. Since Realty Income bought The Lexicon, including The Deck, in November 2025 for about £150 million, no firm proposals have appeared; stakeholders have suggested temporary uses while longer-term plans are worked up.
Parents and councillors continue to call for more family-friendly space in the town centre; the former store's split levels were demolished and the ground remains uneven.
Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter
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