Good news for al fresco latte lovers and a request for a community centre to open longer and have more visitors in the latest planning applications this week.

Town Centre: Costa Coffee has been given the go-ahead to put seats out for its customers on the pavement outside its branch at 32 The Parade until summer 2029. 

Town Centre: The Hindu Samaj Swindon, which operates the community centre at Wyvern House, a building at the side of the Wyvern Theatre in Theatre Square has asked permission to extend its hours, and increase the number of people attending. 

When the use of the building as community centre was approved in 2022 it was only allowed to operate between 9.30am to 4pm and 6.30pm to 11pm, and with no more than 50 attendees. The concern was the impact on the roads in a busy central area of town, and parking concerns. 

The centre has asked to be able to drop those restrictions, saying most of its visitors come by foot or bus, and that 30 to 50 people visit every day for regular activities, and two weekend events per month attract 150 to 160 people. 

It says 50 people attending would create 10 vehicle trips, and 100 people 20 and called the impact on the local roads as “not discernible”. 

Eastcott: A request to be able to site and operate a hot food takeaway van outside Wat Tyler House in Euclid Street has been turned down. Planners said it would cause the loss of parking spaces, would attract extra traffic, increasing risk, and that it would also cause noise and smell nuisance to nearby residents. The planners also said it was against planning policies to have takeaway food outlets so close, and on the route to, nearby nursery and primary schools. 

Broadgreen: Developer Suleman Kudus wants to turn the family home at 29 County Road into a student-style shared house of multiple occupations. The five-bed home would be remodelled to create seven double bedrooms, all with ensuite lavatories and showers. The only communal space would be the kitchen 

Extensions: Applications have been submitted for permission to build extensions to houses, or outbuildings, or to convert garages and loft to habitable rooms at: 9 Cullerne Road, Stratton St Margaret; 29 Robinson Close, Covingham; Pentire; Mount Pleasant, Bishopstone; 13 Cambrai Close, Chiseldon; 23 Robinsgreen, Covingham. 

Such applications have been approved for: 20 Matley Moor, Liden; 261 Whitworth Road, Moredon; 31 West Highland Road, Ash Brake; 20 Langstone Way, Westlea. 

A plan put forward by Darren Parsons to build a two-storey side extension to 2 Forum Close, Stratton St Margaret has been refused permission. 

Mr Parsons had intended to use the extra space for an expanded kitchen and utility room, and new hall. An extra bedroom with ensuite bathroom and attached dressing room would have been in the second storey. 

Planners said: “The extension is not of an appropriate scale to respect the character and appearance of the host property and would appear to be inadequately subservient to the dwelling."

The  detached double garage that Mr & Mrs Barrett hoped to put up at 21A Marlborough Road, Wroughton, at the front of the property immediately giving on to the road drew objections from five nearby residents and the local parish council 

Borough council planners also weren’t keen, saying: ”The siting of the proposed detached garage, results in a bulky and dominant feature which introduces an incongruous feature to both the character of the host dwelling and surrounding area."