Former office block could be converted into flats

A former office building in the centre of Swindon could be converted into flats.

Cubica Point, a London-based real estate company, hopes to turn the six-storey Focal Point office block into 56 flats spread across five floors.

If approved, the conversion of Focal Point would be the largest example of what has become a distinct trend of converting buildings in Fleet Street and its offshoot John Street.

People can submit any comments they want to make on the proposal to Swindon Borough Council until 9 March.

Cubica Point said in its application that Focal Point could be converted into flats under permitted development rules introduced by the government to make such changes easier.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the plans show there would not be any significant alterations to the building, which forms a C-shape around an internal courtyard.

A mixture of one and two-bedroom flats would be built on the first five floors only; four flats would be placed on the ground floor, with 13 on each of the next four storeys.

There are 17 parking spaces allocated to the office block and that would not increase if plans are approved.

Cubica Point said: "The use of this floorspace as residential would be likely to generate less traffic when compared to the former office use.

"On that basis, the traffic created by this proposed development would not lead to situations detrimental to highway safety."

The application said the town centre was an accessible location and that extra parking should not be seen as necessary.

Three buildings in John Street have already been turned into flats and work is either ongoing or applications have been submitted for five more similar schemes.

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