A development company which already has planning permission for two very different proposals to put flats at a closed nightclub have come back with a third plan.

Armada Holdings was given permission in March to sub-divide the ground floor of the vacant two-storey building at 32-34 Bridge Street into commercial units. And convert the upper storey into five apartments,

Then two months later the developer got the go-ahead to demolish the entire building, which was last used as the Broadwalk bar and club, and put up a five-storey building in its place.

That would see the ground floor continue to have commercial use, but there would be 19 flats on the four upper storeys.

Now the company has submitted a plan, similar to the latter proposal, which would see the cleared site play host to a six-storey building with 23 flats.

Armada’s new application says there is good reason to keep the building a mixture of commercial use and housing.

It says: “The principle of retaining commercial use on the ground floor is firmly established via the existing use of the building as a commercial property. However, the existing commercial unit has been vacant for several years.

“The surrounding streets are characterised by ground floor commercial use, therefore, retaining that use on the ground floor will be appropriate for the proposed development and for the character of the surrounding area.

It adds: “The principle of residential development on the site is established via the partially residential character of the surrounding area. Bridge Street and the surrounding roads are predominantly characterised by ground floor commercial use and a mix of residential and commercial upper floors.”

The drawings show a similar design to the previous consented plan for a five-storey building with the top two storeys set back from the edge of the building, allowing balcony space to the flats on that floor.

The application says: “The new proposal adds an additional storey, maintaining a recessed fifth floor and setting back the sixth floor further to ensure the additional height is not visible from the street. This design adheres to the positive feedback from the previous application while incorporating an extra floor to optimise site capacity in an appropriate manner.”

Armada Holdings has included a financial viability statement saying it could not afford to carry out the redevelopment of the site if it had to offer any of the 23 apartments as ‘affordable homes’.

Comments can be made of the plan using reference S/OUT/24/1135 until October 31.

Help support trusted local news

Sign up for a digital subscription now: https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/subscribe/

As a digital subscriber, you will get:            

  • Unlimited access to the Swindon Advertiser website        
  • Advert-light access             
  • Reader rewards             
  • Full access to our app