GWR WORKS: The owners of a listed building dating back to Swindon’s industrial heritage want to make some changes.

HPH Commercial Properties owns Churchward House, an 1841-built Grade II-listed building next door to the Designer Outlet. It is used as offices and the company has asked for permission to put a new doorway in the building.

Its application says: “[We] propose to carry out minimal internal alterations to enhance the accommodation and make it more attractive to new occupiers. The alteration is necessary to facilitate the opening up and extension of the space for use as a functional, breakout space.

“The proposed works are considered to be necessary for the continued success of the property whilst remain in line with good practice when working with listed building and conservation assets. Moreover, the works are considered minimally intrusive and disruptive to the property as a whole.”

TOWN CENTRE: William Hill is looking to open a new betting shop in The Parade. It has applied for change of use permission from its last use as a card shop to allow it to operate as a bookmaker. The company has also made a separate application to install air conditioning and satellite dishes for television coverage of sports for gamblers.

UPPER STRATTON: A proposal by S Godwin to build a pair of houses in the garden behind 46 Upper Hyde Road has been refused.

The access would have been using a narrow alley giving on to a parking space used by number 46 and 44 and the pair of houses would have been built close to 37-41 Pritchard Close.

There were eight objections from neighbours, and borough council planners decided: “Future occupants will not experience acceptable levels of amenity in terms of loss of light, poor outlook and no private amenity space. The inadequate parking and access to parking in conjunction with the lack of refuse collection and services space will result in indiscriminate parking which could potentially endanger road users and result in significant harm upon highway.”

STANTON FITZWARREN: A historic hotel has, for the moment, dropped its plan to construct a group of individual accommodation pods in its grounds, after concerns have been expressed by Historic England and the council’s conservation officer.

Stanton House Hotel, in The Avenue in the village north west of Swindon between the town and Highworth, has withdrawn its plan to put the five timber-built pods, each featuring a bedroom, a wet room and a living area, in a curve to the south of its main building to get the sun.

The hotel’s application said: “This proposal seeks to create five new accommodation pods supporting a more independent and individual experience meeting new expectations in the hotel and tourism industry.

But Historic England said: “The parkland setting of the Stanton House Hotel makes a strong contribution to the character and appearance of the Stanton Fitzwarren Conservation Area. The proposed accommodation pods would detract from the open character by the introduction of built form into the parkland setting.”

Swindon Borough Council’s conservation officer said: “It maybe that the harmful effects of the development can be minimised or removed by an alteration in regard to siting and overall design, however that should be based upon a robust heritage assessment in accordance with guidance to explore such opportunities.”

TOOTHILL: The owner of 62 Tattershall Road has put in a retrospective planning application to legitimise significant work after something of a mix-up over a previous permission.

The application says: “In 2018 a planning application for a substantial two-storey extension to the rear was approved. The extension was planned to be constructed early in 2020 but in the event the Covid pandemic came along with its associated problems including shortage of building materials.”

While a smaller extension was built, but the space between the house was also filled.

The application says: “In itself without the rear extension the side element would probably have been approved under Prior Approval but with the rear extension being taken into account it appears that Planning Permission is required, and this retrospective application is intended to regularise the situation. “

CENTRAL: A plan put forward by T Doka to convert 109 Dean Street which is currently used simply for storage, into two flats has been approved.

The plans show the garage at the front of the building will be removed and the ground floor made into a one-bed flat with an open plan living, dining and cooking area. A similar arrangement will be made upstairs. Doors and windows will be added to the plain front of the building.

EXTENSIONS: Applications have been lodged to build extensions to houses or to put up outbuildings or convert garages or lofts into habitable rooms at: Accolade, Ham Road, Liddington (this is a retrospective application), 8 Summerhouse Road, Wroughton; 7 Sambre Road, Chiseldon.

Such applications have been approved for:  22 Batsford Crescent, St Andrew; 56 Tracey Close, Abbey Mead; 17 Bampton Grove, Old Walcot, 13 Anthony Road, Wroughton; 35 Chestnut Avenue, Pinehurst; 83 The mall, Old Town; 3 Dairy Road, Chiseldon and 30 Seaton Close, Haydon Wick.