Councillors will again try to break the deadlock over plans to turn a Swindon office block into flats.

Property company Oxford London Developments Ltd has applied for permission to put a two-storey extension on the office building Minerva House in Welton Road in Westlea.

It would house 28 flats, that would be in addition to 41 flats already approved and being built in the building.

But at the July meeting of the borough council’s planning committee councillors were at stalemate on a motion to refuse the application, and then voted against approval, meaning the bid was put back to next week’s meeting.

One of the major concerns form neighbours and West Swindon Parish Council is the increase in traffic and congestion the flats could cause.

A report to the committee said since the July meeting: “The applicant submitted a revised drawing the showing an additional 10 spaces making a total of 117 within the site.”

That now meets the borough council’s parking standards for the size of development.

West Swindon Parish Council has told the committee: “ The minimum parking standards should be secured in full and that work is undertaken to mitigate the impact by securing additional parking off-site spaces elsewhere on the estate. Further consideration should be given to the provision of on-street parking in the estate and is this something that the developer could contribute funding towards.”

But the council’s highways department. which is recommending approval of the scheme, has said that’s not possible, saying: “There is no land available for any provision of on-street car parking spaces. Further, Welton Road is heavily used for on-street parking during the day and creating additional spaces would result in the loss of on-street parking, thus the suggested gain is likely to be offset by the loss of spaces. It is therefore recommended that this is not appropriate."

The committee meeting will begin at 6pm on Tuesday at the Civic Offices in Euclid Street. It will also consider a plan to build on Eastcott Road bus depot.