Two listed buildings in Old Town currently used as offices could become flats if new plans are approved.

The two buildings at 10-14 High Street are used by Outside Clinic as an opticians and a hearing practice - the ground floor is used as a shop with open plan offices and there are several open plan offices on the two upper storeys.

The company has applied to keep the commercial space on the ground floor but to convert the offices behind the main space into six flats and to put nine apartments each on both the first and second floors.

The two buildings both date back to the early 19th century and are grade II-listed, with number 14 being built with a passageway into a courtyard – but behind the historic facades, most of the building dates back to the 1980s.

Outside Clinic’s application says: “10-14 High Street was developed in 1985 behind a Grade II listed façade and comprises of office accommodation on ground and two upper floors.”

It references the building’s previous use as a Barclays bank branch: “There is a banking hall on part of the ground floor with a basement below.”

The plans show there would be a mixture of studio, one-bed and two-bed flats, with cycle storage on the ground floor as well as six apartments.

The company’s application emphasises the frontage of the buildings will not change and not affect the Old Town Conservation Area: “The proposals do not disturb the historic layout and street pattern of Old Town Conservation Area and in fact will reinforce that character by working with and maintaining the pattern and grain of the town.

“The proposals will not cause detrimental impacts to local features that provide the area its distinctive identity or on the architectural and historic interest of Swindon’s Old Town.”

The optician says maintaining the commercial space but using the rest for housing would be a benefit to Old Town: “The proposals for the re-development would be a beneficial solution for the grade II listed buildings [which] lie within an important mix of commercial/ residential area of Old Town.

“The Grade II listed buildings are capable of conversion. The external fabric of the building will remain as existing where possible.

The borough council’s conservation officer shares that view and does not object.