A historic pub's restoration comes a few steps closer, and a Swindon dog groomer gets support and praise in planning applications and decisions.

Stratton St Margaret:  Dog Groomer Rebecca Williams has been given the go-ahead to use a part of her home at 30 Wheeler Avenue for her business. Her application said she would use a self-contained room in a part of the house with its own front door, and would be used on a part-time basis for about 30 weeks per year.

Her application was supported by letters from two customers including one from a woman who said she drives from Bracknell in Berkshire every 10 weeks as her dogs will only be groomed by Ms Williams.

Town Centre: The revamp of the external appearance of the Ghurka mini-market, and the two floors of offices above it both at the front and back has been approved.

The building’s owner GS Fernandino Estate Trust has been given the go-ahead to replace timber framed windows with UPVC frames, remove six windows from the back and block the holes with render, replace the rear door and make good render and brickwork.

Railway Village: The restoration of a historic pub in Railway Village, The Cricketers, into a shop, community centre and flats has come a few small steps closer.

Work is ongoing on the Victorian building and planners have signed off on the Mechanics’ Institute Trusts bat survey and plans to put up boxes for roosting bats and swifts.

Gorse Hill:  A plan to revamp the front of the old, now disused, Lloyds Bank branch at 84-86 Cricklade Road has been approved. Developer MS Akhtar will be allowed to add another door to the frontage on the left-hand side, looking at the shop, with two large plate windows creating a symmetry between the doors at the left and right.

Inside, Mr Akhtar plans to remove the offices immediately to the left of the existing door to open up a lobby space for shoppers. There has previously been granted permission to change the use of the building to retail from banking.

Chiseldon: A third application to build a house on the garden of 5 High Street has been refused.

Developer Mel Ziziros of Tangled Up in Blue Ltd had put in a proposal to build a detached three-bed house set back from the road. Applications to build a three-bed and two semi-detached houses on the site have previously been turned down.

Swindon Borough Council planners refused this application because it would “result in an incongruous, prominent form of backland development with an unacceptable appearance which causes harm to the character and appearance of the Conservation Area”.

Extensions:  An application has been lodged to build an extension at 15 Tees Close in Haydon Wick.

Applications to build extensions or outbuildings or to convert lofts or garages into habitable rooms have been approved for: 4 Cheddar Road, Moredon; 78 Salisbury Street, town centre; 15 Figsbury Close, Taw Hill; Fairlands, 36 Rochford Close, Grange Park; 83 Thornhill Drive, St Andrews (a retrospective application) and 101 Beechcroft Road, Stratton St Margaret.

An application for approval of a minor amendment to permission granted for an extension at 8 Summerhouse Road in Wroughton has been turned down.

The applicant Lee Barber wanted to increase the size of the extension – but officers say that requires a neighbour consultation as to whether “the increase in depth by 800mm on the site boundary would materially change the existing situation to the detriment of the neighbour”, and therefore a planning application is required and the matter cannot be approved as a non-material amendment.

Correction: In the round-up published on Saturday, April 8 we reported that a proposal to build an additional house on the side of 55 Maunsell Way in Wroughton was approved.

In fact, the application was refused permission.

We apologise for the error.