Here are some of the shemes looked at by Swindon Borough Council planners.

Old Town

n A plan to convert the three-storey house at 80 Dixon Street put forward by the owner Carl Bellinger has been given the go ahead. One flat will go on the lower-ground floor, one on the ground floor, and the third will be split across the two upper floors.

n A plan by Nikki Weatherill of Novum Property to demolish the garage at 40 Stafford Street, running parallel to Dixon Street, and replace it with two flats was turned down.

The garage behind the house runs along Hythe Road, and the developer had hoped to knock it down and build a two-storey building housing two maisonettes, facing Hythe Road, with the front doors giving on to that street.

A neighbour had written to object to the plan citing: “Over development of the site, making it too enclosed. Out of character with the area and street scene, the proposed new houses will not match the old ones in terms of materials and appearance.”

The refusal decision said cramming two flats into the site would result in cramped development, “out of character and context with the area” and would be harmful to its character, and that the site was too small for the building proposed for it.

Wanborough

n A plan by developer Thomas Gallagher of Drove Road to build five houses, three detached and two semi-detached, on Banner Field, behind the BT exchange building at the junction of the High Street, Bodyhorse Hill and Callas Hill was refused.

The scheme was opposed by the council’s landscape officer who wrote: “It is my opinion that this part of Wanborough is particularly sensitive as the north facing edge leading to the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

“The site is clearly visible from a wide area to the north and I consider that the scheme will therefore cause visual harm and harm to the setting of the AONB.

“Whilst the houses are set to one side,the main access is at the top and centre of this currently open space and car headlights will be a key issue.

“As the scheme is on such a prominent hillside, the proposed landscape scheme will not resolve this issue.”

Old Town

n Developers will be able to convert a shop on Eastcott Hill into three flats, having added an extension.

Sidney Sheen of KS Ltd has been given approval to extend the back of the building which wraps around the corner with, and runs down, Stafford Street.

The corner shop, which has been empty for some time, will then be converted into three flats.

n Offices in Victoria Road will be converted back into a residential property.

Louise Austin, who lives in Faringdon, has been given permission to convert the ground-floor offices at159, which originally were part of two maisonettes, into a single-bedroom flat.

Stratton St Margaret

n A change of use will see a new shop being created. Middleton Mobility has been given permission to convert of the Equity Trade Centre in Swindon Road, which used to be a trade shop for Rhino Ceramics supplying tilers.

The application said: “Middleton Mobility deals in a range of specialist items such as Rise and Recline chairs, adjustable beds and mobility scooters.

“Given the bulky nature of the goods Middletons sell and the characteristic of their clients (being generally elderly), they require a showroom location with dedicated car parking.”

Trees

n Approval has been given to two applications for work on trees in conservation areas, at The Street in Castle Eaton and Lynt Farm Lane in Inglesham.