A pharmaceutical company - potentially one that is already operating in Swindon - is looking to expand.

A specific type of planning application, called an environmental impact screening opinion has been lodged with Swindon Borough Council’s planners.

It asks the planning department whether an environmental impact assessment would be needed for “the proposed repurpose part of the existing facility to enable the expansion of the production and manufacture of pharmaceutical products” at  Unit A, Frankland Road, Blagrove - not far from Junction 16 of the M4.

Such applications are often an early indication that a more detailed proposal is in the pipeline.

There are no other documents or details included in the application save that it was made by environmental consultancy firm Sol Environment Ltd based in Bristol.

It seems unlikely an environmental consultancy wants to get into the pharmaceutical business.

But the company has not responded to a request from the Adver as to the identity of the end user of the site.

There are two possible candidates already operating nearby.

Wasdell Group which has its base just off Frankland Road, specialises in manufacturing and packaging and supply for the pharmaceutical industry.

The company was looking to relocate to a specially built facility, which it called a science park, near Wanborough but was refused permission in 2020.

Also in the same area is Catalent Pharma Solutions, which announced it was expanding its business, adding 100 new jobs as part of a £20m investment in 2019.

Neither company responded to queries about whether they were the end user of the site.