Planning application on the Pavilions (former home of Virgin Mobile)

A Prior Approval application has been received by Wiltshire Council which, if granted, will enable the office building, known as The Pavilions (former home of Virgin Mobile), on the White Horse Business Park to be turned into 98 residential apartments.

Details

Application reference 16/02602/PNCOU
Registered - 14 March 2016
Target date for decision - 9 May 2016 (The Council has 56 days to determine it)
Consultation expiry - 12 April 2016
Applicant – Three Pavilions Ltd, Agent - KR Planning
Link to application

A couple of years ago the Government allowed offices to be converted to residential accommodation without the need for planning permission.  The Prior Approval process gives the Council limited ability to prevent this happening only if they have issues with highways and transport, flooding and/or contaminated land.

From our point of view a residential development on the White Horse Business Park  is ridiculous.  Whilst the Pavilions have been empty since Virgin Mobile left it remains the best (probably only) significant opportunity for attracting a major employer to the Town.  On the other hand we are not short of houses!

Please make your representations to the Council by 12th April.

The Council can avoid allowing this permitted development by making an Article 4 Direction.  Please urge the Council to do this.

Update on the March Area Board Meeting

Trowbridge Area Board on 14 March welcomed the initiative to establish Transforming Trowbridge after hearing from its Director, Jeff Ligo.

A few voices of concern were raised and one Councillor was sceptical that the Group would achieve anything worthwhile.

The Campus

Cllr John Thomson, Deputy Leader of Wiltshire Council and Cabinet Member for Communities, Campuses, Area Boards and Broadband announced at the Area Board that the Cabinet had given priority to moving forward with the establishment of the health element of the Campus development.

Corporate Director, Maggie Rae had been asked to drive the project forward. Cllr Thompson said this might mean a phased approach would be necessary for the overall development of the Campus but it was essential that the opportunity to achieve the health and wellbeing centre was not lost and the NHS needed to proceed quickly.

Welcome to our new website

Transforming Trowbridge has today launched its new website.

Over 2000 links to the site were emailed to a wide range of companies and potential investors.

We hope you find our new website user friendly. If you have any comments, please do feed them back to us.

Meeting Trowbridge Area Board

Jeff Ligo, the Director of Transforming Trowbridge, will be meeting Trowbridge Area Board on Monday March 14th at the Atrium in County Hall.

It is a public meeting if you want to come along and hear more about our plans.