A landmark pub in the heart of Swindon can be converted into housing.

Swindon brewery Arkell’s has been given permission to convert the Duke Of Edinburgh pub, which closed in 2022, into flats – with two-bed apartments with large kitchens and separate living rooms on each of its three floors.

A building attached at the side, which was originally a house, will be converted back to that purpose.

And the building behind the pub can be demolished – and at the back of the car park a two-storey building holding four two bed flats, this time with combined kitchen/diner/living rooms can be built.

When the pub closed at the end of the landlord and landlady’s tenancy in 2022, Arkell’s original plan was to put the 150-year-old building on the market.

But the brewery’s application says it was impossible to find a buyer, and instead the building has been providing temporary accommodation to Ukrainian refugees.

It said: “The brewery says in its application: “It is clear from the lack of interest in the site in terms of tenancies or a potential sale as a public house), the optimum viable use for the site is no longer as a public house and it is considered that residential use is the most appropriate use for this site.

“Even in the years where the pub had turned a small profit, this is completely insufficient for the level of investment required in the premises.”

This, and a report from marketing agents showing how attempts to find a buyer over months had completely failed seems to convince planners at Swindon Borough Council.

In approving Arkell’s proposal, planners said: “The closure of the public house, a community facility, is unfortunate, there are two other public houses within a reasonable walking distance from the site.

The provision of residential units in itself attracts significant weight as does reusing a brownfield site within the settlement boundary of Swindon. “

Although the distinctive tall white building in Cricklade Road is not listed, planners said of it: “The former public house is a Building of Local importance, a non-designated heritage asset. The importance of the building principally arises from its design comprising prominent gables, chimneys and sash windows.

“Internal features would be impacted upon however the use as a public house is likely to have impacted upon such internal features.”