Walking along Bridge Street in the town centre, there are vape shops, pubs, betting shops and slot arcades, but turn right into Fleet Street and suddenly you find yourself in Swindon’s hottest development zone.

Counting buildings on the corner with Bridge Street, there are six empty buildings that developers either hope to be able to turn into flats or where they have permission, while another is subject to an application for conversion into a church.

But possibly owing to the state of the economy progress seems to be slow, with only two of the approved proposals seeing really substantial work.

Here’s a rundown of what’s happening

25 Bridge Street

Swindon Advertiser:

Perhaps the most distinctive building in the entire area is the former Burtons clothes shop at the corner with Bridge Street. The white 1930s art deco look has given rise to comparisons with buildings in the ITV Poirot series.

Developer Charles Sherratt Davis was given permission to turn the upper two storeys into eight flats in May 2019. But from the outside very little work appears to have taken place.

 20 Bridge Street and 16-17 Fleet Street

Swindon Advertiser:

Across Fleet Street but still at the junction with Bridge Street, there has been substantially more activity.

Acqua Plus Developments Ltd of Harrow was given permission to redevelop 17 Fleet Street and 20 Bridge Street in 2018. Part of the development of the building, which still bears the branding Liquor Lounge, includes partially demolishing the upper storey of number 17 Fleet Street then adding two new storeys. The whole plan is to create four shops and 14 flats.

The new block on number 17 has been built, bringing its roofline up to meet the buildings either side.

20 Fleet Street

Swindon Advertiser:

Just two doors down the road at 20 Fleet Street developer Andrew Thomas has two approved plans to choose from. He is able to convert the ornately-fronted Victorian building to either a 34-room HMO or divide it up, keeping the ground floor front for commerce, and create two 5-room houses and 10 individual apartments.

Since the approvals last year, no work has apparently begun.

22-23 Fleet Street

Swindon Advertiser: Remix Nightclub in Fleet Street could become a church if a new plan is approved

Another few doors down, the former Groves Company Inn, more latterly Remix nightclub is the subject of an application by The Redeemed Christian Church of God, an evangelical church originating in Africa to turn the building into a church and bible study institution.

No decision has been made.

 24-26 Fleet Street

Swindon Advertiser:

Right next door to the former club, another former nightspot, the Lava Lounge will be knocked down. And the site will be rebuilt as flats. Tunley properties has submitted its detailed plans for the block of 25 flats and two shop units for which it has outline permission.

39-45 Fleet Street

Swindon Advertiser:

Further along the street, but on the other side, Gary Richman has two plans approved for the small block of shops and offices just past the John Street junction. One seeks to retain the shops in a small parade between 39 and 45 Fleet Street but to build another storey on the two flights of offices above the ground floor to create six flats. The other is to turn the offices on the first and second floor into 14 flats.

Again little work seems to have started.

49 Fleet Street and 29 John Street

Swindon Advertiser:

An unnamed applicant has put in a plan to convert 49 Fleet Street and the adjoining building at 29 John Street, to housing and building a block of flats on the site of a small empty plot and a small shop further down the street. No decision has been made on the plan.

Former Casbah club, John Street  

Swindon Advertiser:

The plan by CDI Investment Ltd to turn the former Casbah Nightclub into nine flats has been progressing well. All external works seem to have been completed.