Swindon Borough Council has received plans to transform a prominent office block in the town centre into one and two bedroom apartments.
The proposal, put forward by Peachtree Services and handled by Swindon planning consultants DPDS Consulting (DPDS), aims to repurpose the building known as SN1 or Premier House.
SN1, located on Station Road, is a purpose-built office building that was previously occupied in part by Network Rail.
Peachtree Services, representing the building owners, cites the decline in office demand due to post-pandemic hybrid working practices and the growing need for housing as the driving force behind the conversion plans.
In May 2023, the ground and first floors of SN1 were granted approval for conversion into 20 apartments. The current proposals being considered include the addition of two more floors and the conversion of floors two to four, resulting in a total of 82 apartments. Upon completion, an additional application is expected for two apartments on the ground floor and two on the first floor.
Additionally, part of the ground floor could be designated for commercial use, potentially accommodating a high-quality coffee shop and/or a convenience store.
Nick Groves, Managing Director of Peachtree Services Ltd, expressed the significance of SN1 as an attractive building situated on a prominent route in Swindon’s town centre.
“SN1 is an attractive building on one of the main thoroughfares through Swindon’s town centre, and one of the first buildings visitors arriving by train see as they exit the station to the south. It has served the town well as high-quality office accommodation, but since hybrid working has become the norm the interest in such premises has plummeted, he said”
“The Council and others are putting great efforts into reshaping Swindon’s town centre and making it a place where people want to live, shop and spend their leisure time. We are very mindful of the role we can and should play in this, and are intent on creating new homes that will have the space and light needed for residents to enjoy a good quality of life.
“All the apartments, whether they have one or two bedrooms, will be created in line with the National Space Standards. And rather than building penthouses with astronomical price tags, we will make sure that they are priced so that they are within the budget of a wide range of buyers or renters, including single people, couples and small families.”
Les Durrant, Managing Director of DPDS Consulting Group said these plans will return a key Swindon building to much-needed use.
“SN1, or Premier House as it was earlier known, has been host to many different organisations including Swindon Borough Council over the years. It’s important that such a visible building is put to good use, rather than allowed to languish, and we are confident that these proposals will benefit the area considerably.
“They will provide more than 80 new homes in the heart of Swindon, within a stone’s throw of the railway station and within easy walking distance to the Designer Outlet, STEAM, the National Trust HQ and New College’s North Star campus.
DPDS has worked closely with the planning department at Swindon Borough Council and remains optimistic that the proposals will gain approval from the planning committee. To review the plans, visit Swindon Borough Council’s planning portal and search for S/PAOTH/23/0517 and S/23/0679.
