• Swindon & Wiltshire Property
• Thursday May 7 2026

Office-to-home plans approved in shadow of iconic tower

Plans to convert offices into apartments on a Wiltshire business park have been approved.

Moonraker (Melksham) Ltd has been granted planning permission to turn the upper floors of office blocks at Avonside Business Park, Melksham into flats.

The enterprise park is on the site of the former Unigate dairy, with its iconic tower, which operated between 1905 and 1969.

Office blocks and light industrial units were constructed in the mid 1980s.

Moonraker started buying buildings at the enterprise park in 2019 and completed the takeover of the facility in 2022.

It said that despite “significant marketing and investment in improving the buildings,” there was no take-up for the offices.

Existing business tenants include a cybersecurity firm occupying 3,000 sq ft of office space, and a financial services firm occupying 3,000 sq ft of a neighbouring building.

The company told Wiltshire Council that “diversification in the mix of uses, particularly on upper floors,” would be desirable at the business park.

It said that during meetings with Melksham Town Council, “residential uses that introduce greater activity at the site and improved footfall throughout the day in this edge-of-centre location between the town centre and railway station were actively supported.”

In turn, the town council told Wiltshire planners: “Melksham Town Council has considered the applications en bloc.

“On the understanding that existing businesses would not be affected and would continue to trade, Melksham Town Council feels the proposals would be of benefit to the development of the area.”

The company said its plans “will underpin the commercial and employment-generating core of the estate.”

It told Wiltshire Council: “The reality is that the large areas of the upper floors of the estate are currently underutilised and vacant.

Planners were told that under the new plans, “Avonside will become a hugely improved mixed-use asset with a significantly enhanced public realm at an established and prominent destination in the heart of Melksham.

“The regenerated estate will make a fantastic contribution to the town.”

Moonraker submitted four planning applications as a package, seeking permission to change the use of parts of buildings from business use to residential, carry out external alterations to the buildings, and the demolition of some buildings, including a former scout hut and a car wash.

Wiltshire Council said the Avonside Chimney and distinctive roof-line were “Locally Valued Non-designated Heritage Assets,” adding: “The site has a historic utilitarian character provided by the industrial buildings.”

As part of the scheme 17 one- and two-bedroom apartments will be created, the smallest of which will be 50 sq m and the largest 78 sq m.

The UK government changed planning rules in 2016 to allow developers to convert offices into residential units. The minimum space permitted for a two-person flat is 50 sq m, whilst the minimum for single occupancy is 37 sq m.