A plan to install a branch of Greggs in a Swindon petrol station has hit a bump in the road.

The owner of the Cricklade Road filling station, Motor Fuels Ltd, was given permission at the start of the year to extend the shop and payment building at the Penhill garage in order to house a branch of the popular bakery.

But in July the company applied for permission to make a change to that plan.

It wanted to change the style of the roof on that extension, which would be on the side of the main building closest to Cricklade Road, from a pitched roof to a flat roof.

And, as part of that application, the proposed parking layout had also changed on the drawings submitted, with three more parking spaces added to the area at the front of the shop and payment building.

(Image: Dave Cox)

That caused an issue for the council’s highways officer, who said they were not able to give approval to the plans without learning further details.

The planning officer’s report said: “Officers have made several attempts to seek clarifications and further plans from the applicant however no response was forthcoming.”

The lack of extra detail seems to have scuppered the change to the original plan.

The borough council has refused permission for the change of the roof – but it appears that’s more to do with the change of the parking arrangements and the lack of further detail.

The decision notice of the refusal says: “Without sufficient plans, the alteration to the design of the proposed development cannot be assessed and as such is considered to be detrimental to the design of the existing building and the visual amenity of the site and surrounding area.

“It is not possible to assess if the alteration of the roof could be detrimental to the amenities of the adjoining neighbour.

“The proposed development does not demonstrate that it would not overburden the use of the site in regard to parking demand and that adequate access, manoeuvring and visibility would be provided; and therefore could lead to conflict with users of the highway.”

Motor Fuels Ltd could put in a new application with the extra detail needed, or appeal against the refusal, or it could continue with building the extension as originally designed because the permission for that is still valid.