PLANS to convert industrial workshops into houses at a South Marston farmyard have finally been given the go ahead.

David and Tracey Griffiths are slowly winding their Rain or Shine garden furniture business down at Manor Farm.

Their application to convert the workshops had previously been turned down because of concerns over noise and the impact on the local ecology.

Speaking to Swindon Borough Council’s planning committee the Griffiths’ agent Hilary Evans said: “The previous application was refused over a lack of information over noise and ecology.

“Since then we have conducted a bat survey of the site and have a greed a post-construction acoustic assessment with environmental health.”

Ms Evans told the committee that fears over flooding were unfounded as the conversion of the four buildings into three separate houses would remove several tonnes of concrete from the site and lessen the built footprint by 20 per cent.

She added: “The drainage on site will be vastly improved.”

The committee voted unanimously to approve the scheme.

The houses will form a courtyard, with parking for all three houses in one corner of the site.