Swindon & Wiltshire News
Plans to convert offices into apartments lodged
Plans to convert offices into apartments as part of the regeneration of a Wiltshire business park have been lodged.
Moonraker (Melksham) Ltd wants to turn the upper floors of office blocks at Avonside Business Park into houses.
The enterprise park is on the site of the former Unigate dairy, 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.
In its application, the firm says it has “worked with occupiers, undergone significant marketing and invested in improving the buildings and spaces on site.
“This has included re-decoration of external buildings’ facades, improved maintenance and alterations to commercial spaces to best suit existing and prospective new tenant occupiers at the site.”
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.
But the company says “diversification in the mix of uses, particularly on upper floors,” would be desirable at the business park.
It says 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.”
The company says its plans “will underpin the commercial and employment-generating core of the estate,”
“The reality is that the large areas of the upper floors of the estate are currently underutilised and vacant,” says the owner.
“It has not been viable to bring these spaces back into active occupation despite active marketing and investment by Moonraker since August 2022.
“The upper floor spaces will continue to decline without a step change in investment and approach.
“In turn, this will undermine ongoing investment and planned activity across the wider estate.
“Ultimately, this position will limit the scope for investment and regeneration of the estate.”
And it promises: “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 has 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.
A decision from Wiltshire Council is expected in June.
The UK government changed planning rules in 2016 to allow developers to convert offices into residential units.
