Historic Swindon building near railway line could become flats

A planning application has been lodged with Swindon Borough Council to convert a former telephone exchange next to the railway line, the Bristol Street underpass, and Historic England's offices into eight one-bedroom homes.

The proposal, submitted by Ian Sullivan Architecture Ltd on behalf of Mr Sam Field of LF Property Group Ltd, seeks to transform the vacant two-storey building on Fire Fly Avenue into residential units, with the basement used for storage.

The site is part of the Swindon Railway Conservation Area and has been recognised in the conservation area appraisal as a "positive building," indicating that while it is not listed, it contributes to the overall character of the area.

The proposed plan includes creating four flats on the ground floor and four on the first floor, with the units ranging in size from 39.7 square metres to 57.7 square metres.

The flats are designed to accommodate one or two people.

The basement is set to house a 16-space cycle store and landlord and maintenance storage.

The plan does not include parking spaces for residents, which is why Central Swindon North Parish Council has objected to it, though the planning statement suggests this is suitable due to the building's location in Swindon town centre's parking Sector 1, with the railway station, bus stops, shops, workplaces, and other amenities nearby.

External alterations include replacing the current metal-framed windows with cream UPVC heritage-style flush casement windows, repairing stonework, window heads and sills, and matching any replacement slate roof tiles to the existing roof.

A new automatic-opening roof light is also proposed.

The existing metal staircase on the north-west elevation will be removed and replaced by an internal staircase.

The applicants state that the conversion will maintain the building's footprint, height, and overall form, while enhancing its appearance and bringing a vacant property back into use, with bat boxes and swift bricks included.

This building has a long planning history, with plans for seven flats being refused in 2019 and 2020.

However, permission for eight flats was granted in April 2022, followed by approval in April 2024 for a revised internal layout, but the approval for the flats appears to have lapsed.

The planning statement argues that the new application will support the reuse of an underused building, contribute eight homes towards Swindon’s housing supply, preserve the character of the conservation area, and have no unacceptable impact on neighbouring residents.