Rodbourne: A major office block in Rodbourne can be converted into more than 270 flats under the government's prior consent rules.

North Star House is currently used by BT and the British Computer Society, but both companies are moving out later this year.

The block is divided into four separate rectangular units, linked by a central atrium and reception area. Each is built around a central courtyard.

Developer Telereal Trillium plans to build an internal corridor running around the middle on the interior of each three-storey block. Flats will be places either side of the corridor, either facing outward or on to the internal courtyards.

Swindon Borough Council is bringing in a policy to restrict such conversions in an areas centred around the railway station which would, if already in effect, mean the developers of North Star House would have to apply for full planning permission.

Town centre: A prominent office block in the centre of town will see its top two storeys converted into eight flats.

The building at the corner of Regent Circus and Commercial Road is used by law firm Royds Withy King. Developer Martin Evans has been given approval under prior consent rules to convert upper floors into four flats per floor.

South Swindon Parish Council had objected to the proposals on the grounds that two of the proposed flats will be smaller than government guidelines.

Ferndale: Two offices in a former house now used as a commercial property can be converted back to a single flat.

Developer A Dallimer has been given permission to turn the rear two rooms of 260 Ferndale Road into a single-bed flat.

The front office will continue in commercial use – it has been a barber, a tattoo parlour and a sports nutrition outlet. There will be no direct access to the flat from the shop in front.

A garage will be demolished to create three parking spaces.

Town Centre: A new cafe and delicatessen will be coming to the town centre.

Peter Triggs who runs Aistone Properties has received permission to change the use of an existing shop in Fleet Square.

He will divide the unit at No 14 into two halves. One will be a cafe with the other stocking high-end foods, including fresh meat from a butcher’s counter at the back of the store.

Town Centre: Signs for a new restaurant in Regent Circus have been approved. Mohamed Mahdi is in the process of opening Lamaya Lebanese Kitchen and Bar in unit six of the complex, which was previously the Gourmet Burger Kitchen.

Broad Green: A plan to build three flats in the garden of a house in Graham Street has been refused.

Mark Battochio wanted to build the flats in the garden of Number 69, at the end of the street, with one block fronting onto Fleming Way.

But planners at Euclid Street: “The proposed development would constitute a cramped and contrived form of development, which would fail to reflect or respect the existing grain of development and established character.

“Rather the form, bulk, mass, siting and orientation of the building would appear incongruous in relation to the surrounding traditional terraced uniform rows.”

Upper Stratton: A plan to convert part of a triple garage at 1 Old Dairy Close has been turned down.

Planners thought L Fernandes’ proposals to create a self-contained annex flats with a bedroom, shower room and kitchen diner out of a third of the garage space would “result in the loss of available parking space, creating a large unit that would require provision of additional parking” and turned it down.