A DIY giant has a mixed response to its plans for new signs in Rodbourne, there could be a better experience for parents watching their children play football at Foundation Park at the County Ground and there are plans for more 5G masts across the borough.

County Ground: Swindon Town FC’s Community Foundation has asked for permission to put a hard standing path, one and a half metres wide, around the outside of the all-weather pitch at the County Ground complex.

The application says: “We often see lots of parents watch their children from outside the fence line and with the wet weather that we have experienced for long periods, the spectators are often standing on wet and muddy grass.

“Adding a path around the perimeter of the fence line would certainly improve the experience for visitors to Foundation Park and we also believe that this new path would also be a benefit to local residents who will have the option to cut across the park on a hard path.”

Rodbourne: DIY giant B&Q got a mixed result when it applied to put up new signs at its huge superstore in the junction of Barnfield Road and Great Western Way.

Planners at Swindon Borough Council approved the proposals for new signs to be fixed to the building.

But they refused the part of the plan for new free-standing signs. Planners said there was not enough information on where they might be placed, and as large orange signs could have an effect on road safety, without the location information, that part of the application was refused.

Communications masts: Telecoms infrastructure provider Cignal Infrastructure UK has put in four separate applications for new poles, with associated equipment boxes at the base to support the provision of 5G mobile telephony signals.

The poles, if permitted, will be placed on Beechcroft Road, just off the Moonrakers’ junction, Ermin Street, Radway Road and Hathaway Road, on the junction with Beechcroft Road.

Stratton St Margaret: Applicant H Padda has asked for permission to convert the semi-detached house at 5 Bridge End Road into two one-bed flats, with the flats on the first floor much smaller than the one on the ground floor.

Highworth: Mr and Mrs J Hares have put in a proposal to build a house on land next to Redlands Court Bungalow, Swindon Road in the town. The chalet style house would have three large bedrooms.

Designer Outlet: MacArthur Glen which runs the Designer Outlet in two of the old Great Western Railway factory buildings has been given permission to repair the roof, reline the gutters and replace roof lights in the north mall building.

The company says visitor access to the shops and the building will not be affected by the work, and when it is completed, more light will be admitted through the rooflights, slightly improving the visitor experience.

Broadgreen:  The work, already undertaken, to convert the offices on the first floor of 124 Manchester Road into a two-bedroom flat will be legitimised if S Haque’s retrospective application for planning consent is granted.

If it isn’t Mr Haque could face having to put the building back as it was.

Extensions:  Applications have been submitted to be able to build extensions to houses, or outbuildings, or to convert garages and lofts into habitable rooms at 36 Kellsboro Avenue, Wroughton; The Conifers, Markham Road, Wroughton; 61 Weedon Road, Stratton St Margaret; 16 Leven, Freshbrook; Eastbrook Cottages, Cues lane, Bishopstone; 9 Cricklade Road, Highworth; 95 The Mall, Old Town.

Such proposals have been approved for 31 Sanders Close, Kingsdown; 23 Arley Close, Abbey Meads; 9 Avocet Close, Covingham; 7 Buscot Close, Redhouse; 54 The Boulevard, Taw Hill; Little Acre, Slipper Lane, Chiseldon; 170 Shrivenham Road, Greenbridge.