Old Town: A plan to turn the family home at 32 Dover Street into an eight-person shared house of multiple occupation has been turned down by planners at Swindon Borough Council.

Officers at the council said the plan would be “over subdivision of the property, with the basement bedroom having poor outlook, lack of ventilation and limited privacy, creating an oppressive living environment.

In addition, the insertion of the light-well would limit circulation space within bedroom two, providing a cramped living environment.”

Old Town: An application by Taylor Wimpey, which is building 62 new houses on land at the bottom of Croft Road, to vary its landscaping plans agreed with planners has been refused.

The housebuilder said there were clashes between the proposed siting of streetlights and trees.

It wanted permission to move the location of the trees, saying it would attempt to find space for them elsewhere on the site.

Reasons for refusal are not given in the application on the council's website.

Highworth: The farmer at Common Farm in Eastrop, HJ Manners, has been given the go-ahead for permission to remove 33m of hedge at the farm.

Work will be carried out in three sections, one of nine metres and two separate sections of 12 metres each.

Wanborough: Concerns about no pavement access to a proposed new house were not seen as reasons to oppose it by the borough council’s highways officer.

No final decision has yet been made on L Averies’ application to build a new cottage-style three-bed house and detached garage in the garden of 1 South View Cottage on a sharp corner of The Marsh.

The highways officer said there was concern over the lack of a way to walk safely to the proposed house, but said that was true of a number of the homes in the street and there was no reason, from that perspective, to object to the plan.

Wroughton: A long-term resident of a cottage in the village south of Swindon wants to build himself a new home on his land for his use in old age.

Robert Raynes lives at Bridleway Cottage at 85 Priors Hill.

He has asked for permission to demolish an old open-sided two-berth stable on his property and build a two-bedroom bungalow where it stands.

Mr Raynes told planners at Euclid Street he had lived at the cottage for 30 years and has no wish to leave. But as he nears retirement, and because of a long-standing injury, he fears he will find the steeply sloping land to the house too difficult and wants to build the bungalow for his use.

It will have a kitchen and lounge diner and a cloakroom that can be converted to an accessibility toilet if needed.

Mr Raynes’ application says the main cottage will be used by members of his own family.

Rodbourne: Upmarket clothes shop Hobbs wants to refurbish its unit at the Designer Outlet.

The company wants to replace the floor with “high specification vinyl” and put in new cash registers, new lighting and new signs.

Highworth: The owner of 17 The Lodge in Redlands Court off Swindon Road, D Norman has applied for permission to build a separate house and garage to the south of the house.

Extensions and conversions: Applications have been lodged for permission to build extensions, or convert lofts and garages into living spaces at: 25 Springlines, Wanborough; the garage of 45 Larchmore Close Haydon Wick; 67 Chatsworth Road, Abbey Mead; 3 Edale Moor, Liden,; 22 Radley Close, Nythe; 156 Ermin Street, Stratton St Margaret; 6 Harptree Close, Nine Elms; 1A High Street, Chiseldon. 88 Tweed Close, Haydon Wick; 25 Castle Dore, Freshbrook; the garage of 101 Clifton Street, Kingshill; 9 Beech Avenue Pinehurt and 6 Olive Grove, Pinehurst.