A LANDMARK tower block which has stood empty for years could soon be turned into flats if a planning application is successful.

Signal Point, which towers above Swindon station, used to be a bustling office, but has not been used since Network Rail moved offices.

Over the years, a number of attempts have been made to find a company to move in, without success.

Now, an application has gone in to convert the 13-storey building, which still bares the iconic British Rail logo, into more than 130 apartments. Despite many seeing the early seventies structure as a prime example of the ugly architecture of that era, there are currently no plans to knock it down.

The application, which has been submitted by Inspired Asset Management, is not to alter the outward appearance of the building, but change the interior so it can be converted in to 136 flats. If given approval, it is thought they will then buy the building from Network Rail.

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An application was put in earlier this year, which was granted, to build 129 flats, but because there are 136 spaces in a rear car park, the developers are looking to increase the number of flats in Signal Point.

One of the concerns raised about converting the tower block to residential use is the impact it would have on the road network, which is already heavily congested due to traffic using the station.

But the developers believe that if the building has a residential use, the impact will be less than if it is used for business purposes.

Coun Bob Wright (Lab, Central), said: “In principle, I have no objection with converting offices into apartments. It shows how Swindon is gradually changing. Demand for offices in the centre is dwindling.

“You have go to find alternative uses for those offices and this is one.”

A transport statement has been carried out, which says: “It highlighted that the site is highly accessible by non-car modes and that there are few barriers to walking or cycling, with extensive pedestrian and cycle infrastructure in the vicinity of the site.

“Section 5 of the submitted Transport Statement considers the likely vehicular trip generation levels of the proposal compared to the existing use and concludes that the change of use would result in an overall reduction in site traffic flows.”

If the move goes ahead, it would be the latest in a long line of empty office space, which has been converted to residential properties.

Part of the One Fifty building, in Victoria Road, is being converted into flats, while an application is being looked at, which aims to convert the former Nationwide Offices in Farnsby Street.