A historic building in the Great Western Railway works site in Rodbourne will not be converted into flats.

At least, not in the way that developer Highworth Homes envisaged, even though Swindon Borough Council's planning officer had recommended approval.

The two-storey stone-clad telephone exchange - right next to the railway lines, and immediately adjoining the ramp from the tunnel out to Bristol Street - was put up in 1948 replacing the 1893 original. It is now shuttered and inaccessible.

Highworth Homes wanted to divide the building into seven flats, four on the ground floor and three on the upper floor.

There would be no car parking at all for the apartments, and bike storage would be in the building's basement, but accessible only through the underpass, which shuts at 9pm.

That was just one of the issues which saw councillors vote against the proposals.

Another was the plan to access the upper floor flats via a new steel exterior staircase and walkway, replacing the existing one, which would have run directly past the bedroom windows of some flats, and the total lack of vehicle access, meaning bins would have to be carried or wheeled 70 metres for collection.