The rebrand of one of Swindon’s biggest employers - and the world’s biggest building society  -could have been scuppered by Swindon Borough Council.

But Nationwide's change of livery, which was first put into effect at its flagship branch in Regent Street in Swindon, has been approved.

 But only now, weeks after the changes appeared at the branch.

The building society revealed its new corporate logo and wordmark and a slight change to its colours in early October, at both the Regent Street branch and the Pipers Way headquarters.

The Adver ran a story about how many felt it looked like the logo and colours of High Street rival NatWest on October 9.

That was three days before planners at Swindon Borough Council received an application from Nationwide to be allowed to change the signs and window displays at the branch in the town centre.

And it is nearly fully two months before the approval decision was notified on December 7.

The details of the changes will be familiar to anyone who has seen either the branch of Nationwide’s current TV advertising campaign: the branch’s signs, have been changed, the decals around the cash machine have changed and a new window message: “a good way to bank” has been put up.

Despite being asked for retrospective permission not necessarily being planning departments’ preferred way of working, the changes have been given approval for five years from early December.

It is not illegal, or even against good practice to apply for retrospective permission for work already done. But it does carry risks. If permission is refused, and appeals don’t work, an applicant will be asked to restore a site to its original condition and can face legal action if they don’t.

Chief Executive of Nationwide Building Society, Debbie Crosbie, said: "Our rebrand is the most significant in 36 years and ensures we continue to be relevant for the needs of customers today and tomorrow.

"Nationwide provides the face-to-face service that people value and need."

The other 604 branches of the society are also being revamped with the new look, and the society has pledged to keep every one of them open until at least 2026.

Despite this, the building society announced it was cutting 200 jobs, including some at the Pipers Way headquarters, in late November.