There are dozens of empty and unused buildings in Swindon town centre - which has led to many calling the shopping district a 'ghost town'.

Swindon Borough Council is often asked to do something to revive the area - but the local authority is unable to control business rates and as such is limited with what it can do with the majority of privately owned units. 

Rightmove has listed a number of town centre units for rent - and there are even two currently on the market for sale. 

They are:

The former WW Hunter building - Price on application 

Swindon Advertiser:

This iconic structure in Swindon's town centre is listed a residential and commercial opportunity. 

The Regent Street building can accommodate up to 12 appartments for residential use, as well as two two ground floor commercial units on the High Street. 

The Rightmove listing suggests that potential owners can expect a £135,000 per annum return on their investment, but as the asking price isn't listed it's hard to tell how long it would take to get a return on that investment. 

The listing describes the building as an "attractive freehold investment opportunity located in centre of Swindon close to shops and train station."

The current owners began work on renovating the 12 flats on the upper two floors in February. 

Read: WW Hunter furniture shop in Swindon being turned into flats

Gateway Furniture unit, Havelock Square - £575,000

Swindon Advertiser:

The unit at one end of Havelock Square that was the two-floor spanning Gateway Furniture is also on the market on Rightmove's commercial property listings. 

The 5,232 sq ft building known as Brunel House is described on the Rightmove advert as "a three storey stand alone purpose built retail premises situated overlooking Havelock Square which is adjacent to the Brunel Shopping Centre which forms the centre of the primary retail area of Swindon."

"The property itself has a prominently situated display window to Havelock Square with return frontage to Havelock Street which leads up to Commercial Road," it adds. 

Its owners did have planning consent to convert the upper parts of the building for residential use but that permission has now lapsed.

But, the advert says that the development opportunity involves turning the ground floor retail space into smaller units, and reapplying for residential use.