Repair work on a disused school building in Swindon that endured two separate fires last year has begun.

Stratton Education Centre on St Phillips Road now cuts a very different sight to what it did prior to the damage it suffered in 2022.

The initial fire occurred at around 4pm on Saturday, March 19 of last year, and led to the building being “fully destroyed”.

Several fire engines rushed to the scene and remained at the site until 10am the following morning as firefighters finished putting out the last hotspots.

Swindon Advertiser: There is now scaffolding at the location as well as metal plates covering the former windows.There is now scaffolding at the location as well as metal plates covering the former windows. (Image: Dave Cox)

Two teenagers, 15 and 16, were arrested in the aftermath on suspicion of arson.

Police said later that the young suspects were later released under investigation and no one has been charged in relation to that fire.

A second fire then broke out just a couple of months later when flames could be viewed at the site on the night of Tuesday, May 28.

After receiving reports just after 10pm, crews from Stratton, Swindon and Westlea rushed to the fire within the derelict building.

Eight firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the flames using hose reel jets and the fire was out by 1am the following morning.

Swindon Advertiser: The hoardings remain around the derelict building as they did prior to the fires of last year.The hoardings remain around the derelict building as they did prior to the fires of last year. (Image: Dave Cox)

The derelict Victorian building had been surrounded by hoardings and had been vacant for between three and four years prior to the fires.

Fast forward to the present and the damage to the centre is still very visible but the building but is now being supported with copious amounts of scaffolding which arrived in Spring of this year.

Alongside the scaffolding there are wooden boards as well as metal plates covering the once open windows, all demonstrating that the area is now being secured.

The former education centre remains behind hoardings as the work continues on the burnt out Swindon building.

Swindon Advertiser: Nearby residents have opposed recent plans to turn the site into flats.Nearby residents have opposed recent plans to turn the site into flats. (Image: Dave Cox)

These cosmetic and structural updates come as no real surprise after it was announced in January that the site was set to be converted into flats with as many as 10 new houses to be built on the land.

Several neighbours nearby remain firmly against these plans by Swindon Borough Council.

Karen Doyle said: “I’ve lived next to Stratton Education Centre for 40 years.  The thought that the Victorian building will be obscured by such awful-looking buildings makes me rather emotional.

“It doesn’t take much to push sash windows into these buildings to improve them. And we want to be able to see the Victorian Building.  Please put something decent up instead of these horrible buildings”

A Swindon Borough Council spokesperson said: “Planning approval was granted at the start of the year and we are continuing to work on the future of the site.

"We will provide an update over the coming months as plans progress.”