All the planning applications that were submitted to Swindon Borough Council this week.

BLUNSDON: An outline application for the construction of two two-storey dwellings on land west of Woodbine Cottage on Kingsdown Lane has been approved.

The proposal (reference S/OUT/20/0548) by Turley was submitted in February and given the green light earlier this week. The homes would be built in the side garden of the applicant's current residence.

All matters except for access are reserved, so those will require a more detailed application to be submitted now that approval for the outline has been given.

Blunsdon Parish Council recommended objecting to the application due to concerns from the drainage engineer about sewage plant discharges into the brook, and that it would lead to too many houses being condensed into a small area at the end of Kingsdown Lane which already has more traffic than it was originally designed for.

Parish councillors feared that highway maintenance would become a bigger problem and create larger traffic flows at peak times which would make the Turnpike Junction less safe.

The borough council chose to approve the plans, but added several conditions which the applicant must follow. These included 

BLAGROVE: There are plans to change an industrial estate unit from storage and distribution to a flexible mixed-use class as well as replace or upgrade the existing cladding and curtain walling in different colours.

The planning application (reference S/21/1916) would make changes to Unit 10 on Euroway. It was received in December 2021 and approved earlier this week.

GORSE HILL: Plans to change a bank into a shop with two one-bedroom flats above it have been approved.

The application (reference S/22/0165) will revamp the building on 84 to 86 Cricklade Road. It was received in January and approved earlier this week.

The former home of Lloyds will become a commercial enterprise and have the first floor above it extended to accommodate the new flats.

Central Swindon North Parish Council objected to this application due to concerns that it would be an over development of the site and concerns around the lack of parking and its impact on the existing roads.

Highways raised concerns over a lack of parking provision for those using the shop and flats.

The applicant reduced the number of new flats from four to two and the borough council then gave the proposal the go-ahead.

Conditions for the change included providing bike spaces for shop staff and flat residents as well as plans being made for an electric vehicle charging point to be addded.

Whichever shop ends up using the ground floor must not be open outside of the hours of 9am to 6pm Monday to Saturday or 10am to 4pm on Sundays and bank holidays.

OLD TOWN: A semi-detached house on Bankside will have itd existing single-storey extension extended further to cover the entire width of the house.

The original submission (reference S/HOU/22/0303) indicated that there would be doors and a balcony at first floor level, with decking across from the terraced garden to the first floor accommodation.

It was considered that the balcony and decking would result in an unacceptable degree of overlooking of neighbouring properties. The proposed development has been amended to provide a juliet balcony and remove the decking. 

TAW HILL: Plans to build a first floor side extension and single-storey rear extension to a property on Thetford Way have been approved.

The application (reference S/HOU/22/0656) was submitted in April 2022 and got the green light earlier this week.

GORSE HILL: A request to have a certificate of lawfulness for the change of use a ground floor space from a veterinary surgery to a one-person, one-bed flat has been withdrawn.

The application (reference S/LDP/22/0818) refers to a property on Cricklade Road and was submitted in May.

WOODHALL PARK: A resident's bid to change public open space on Wood Hall Drive into a domestic garden has been refused.

The application (reference S/22/0653) was sent in last April but the borough council turned it down because enclosing the public space for the homeowner's use "is considered to be to the detriment of the character and appearance of the area and the user experience of the public footpath network, resulting in a less attractive and less safe public realm."