PLANS to demolish WH Smith’s Greenbridge HQ and build more than 130 homes in its place have been given the green light by council planners this week.

Under the scheme the site would instead become home to 134 dwellings, a day nursery/creche and “intergenerational” care accommodation. The plans were submitted more than a year ago when the stationery giant pledged to remain in the town, with the council saying they would support them to find a more suitable headquarters.

The headquarters of WH Smith has been based on the corner of Drakes Way and Dorcan Way since the 1980s - behind the towerblock and warehouse, where it occupies around 6,500 sq.m of office floorspace. But concerns have been raised over the state of the repair of the building, prompting plans for a relocations, and the planning application for new homes.

The tower block, which can be seen from various points across the town, will not be demolished as part of the plans, but border the new development.

WH Smith’s agent told Swindon Borough Council: “The offices and the wider application site are no longer fit for purpose in order to continue serving the needs of the business going forward. This includes the state of the office building itself, which is in a declining state of repair and which does not provide a suitable layout or the standard of infrastructure required for modern business operations.

“As such, the applicant is seeking to relocate its headquarters to a new office building within the borough, which will include the relocation of approximately 450 senior management and consultancy jobs and which will secure the future of WH Smith in Swindon.”

The proposals for the new homes propose apartment blocks of no more than six storeys, plus undercroft parking for the western block fronting onto Drakes Way.

“This proposed scale aims to support the prominence of the adjacent tower block, which includes eight storeys plus additional plant at roof level, without harming its setting; particularly in terms of visibility when viewed from the surrounding area,” the agent said.

“The proposed apartments and three storey houses would not over-dominate the distribution centre site and the development would enhance the mixed-use character of the surrounding area.”