Two documents which are crucial to unlock millions of pounds ion government funding for the regeneration of the town centre and railway village have been approved.

The government has agreed, in principle, to fund six regeneration projects put forward by Swindon Borough Council, with £19.5m from its Town's Fund.

But the cheque will only be signed by the Secretary of State Michael Gove if the council's business plans for each project are up to scratch.

The council's Town's Fund Board, made up of councillors, Swindon's two MPs and business people have approved the formal business plan for further development of the Carriage Works in London Street and for the work to enable the regeneration of Kimmerfields - a key plank in the council's plans to refresh the town centre.

Members of the board were talked through the draft plans by Sam Harper and Kyle Barrie from the council's consultants Stantec.

Mr Barrie said: "This will be phase 3a of the regeneration of the Carriageworks and £5m has been allocated in our bid for the funding.

"It will create 1,510 square metres of office space in units 8,10,13 and 13 of the West Shed."

he said the business plan showed the worth to Swindon of regenerating the Victorian workshops as offices: "They will bring £23.9m of economic benefit to the place over the next 20 years. For every £1 invested there will be £1.90 in return."

There was a brief discussion of why the council had never progressed with turning the building into housing using Thomas Homes which had successfully redeveloped land north of the railway line.

Council leader David Renard said: "The terms that Thomas Homes wanted to take on the building we decided was not in the best interests of the taxpayer.

One of the borough council's officers working on the bid Dave Dewart said: "This development is a research and development and knowledge economy hub. The Royal Agricultural University is already here, the university of Bath is coming. This is exactly the development that Swindon needs."

Another board member, Paddy Bradley, the chief executive of the Swindon & Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership said: "The Carriageworks renovations is another example of Swindon reinventing itself from a railway town to a knowledge economy."

The board approved both business cases to be submitted to the government in order to get the funding.