A new application to turn offices in Swindon's town centre into flats has been made.

If this new application is approved, some people could find themselves living on what is now, essentially, a traffic island, right in the heart of the town centre.

Balvav Holdings Ltd has applied for Prior Approval for the conversion of the offices on the first, second third and some of the fourth floor of Oxford and Trinity House into 10 one-bedroom apartments.

The buildings now are offices above commercial premises used by the Allen & Harris estate agency and Nationwide Property Lettings.

The buildings are Oxford and Trinity Houses which inhabit a triangular site  bordered by Eastcott Hill, Crombey Street and Regent Circus and are immediately between the Regent Circus shopping and entertainment complex and the old Town Hall and Central Library building

The plans show that the ground floor would remain in use as commercial units, and the entrance to the flats would be at the side, with a bike store and bin store accessible from there.

The applicant wants permission to remodel the offices above those units, which it says are currently vacant,  into four apartments on the first and second floor with two  flats on the third floor

There are up to eight parking spaces for the offices located within a courtyard accessed via an undercroft from Eastcott Hill.

The application says: “The site is well served by public transport links, together with the provision of both private and public car parks it is not considered that the proposed development would result in unacceptable harm in this respect.

It adds: “The application is purely for change of use and so there will be no external changes which increase the amount of impermeable surface and risk of flooding.”

The application alludes to Swindon Borough Council’s policy of helping regenerate the town centre by allowing more residential use which it hopes will bring a different type of commercial activity, lasting longer into the evening than the current shopping centre supports.

It says: “It is recognised that commercial and residential uses are generally seen to be compatible. Therefore, an undue increase in noise would not occur as a result of the proposal and the amenity of future occupants is not considered to be harmed from nearby commercial premises, therefore there are no impacts of noise from commercial premises on future occupants of the newly formed flats.”

A decision on the application is expected before the end of the year.

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