Good news for staff and pupils at a central primary school, but the risks of taking action without checking the need for planning consent could be shown in Pinehurst.

Walcot: Goddard Park Primary School has been given a certificate of lawfulness for its plan to join two parts of its building with a floating first-floor extension.

The extension will act solely as a link between to areas of classrooms. The school said, in its application: "The proposal relates to a link corridor that will be constructed to join two sets of first-floor classrooms, each of which are currently served by a single staircase.

“This will provide an alternative means of escape in the event of a fire occurring in either of the first-floor areas.”

Blunsdon: An industrial facility which mixes cement aggregate and water to create the perfect mix of concrete that can be moved, over a very short distance.

Gibbs Surfacing Ltd has operated the plant at its site on Turnpike Road in Blunsdon for several years.

Earlier this year the company was permitted to use the site as a self-storage facility, stacking 250 shipping containers two-high for the storage.

The company packed up the batching plant, but it has now been given permission to move it within the overall site just five to 10 meters in total.

The company’s application said: “Any change to the noise and dust impacts of the current application proposal, having previously been considered, will be imperceptible from the residential receptors further to the north east.

Town Centre: “Development company Moreton Investments has been given Prior Approval for the conversion of the two storeys above the HMV shop at 16-17  Regent Street into eight flats.

Previously the company wanted to build two extra storeys on the building to house the flats. Permission was eventually granted to build one additional floor to house four flats.

 The newly-approved proposal to convert the existing upper floors into eight apartments is a revival of  Moreton Investment’s first plan which had been dropped.

Wroughton: A new septic tank serving a house, and possibly its neighbour, in Woodland View is permitted. K Nichols who lives at Number 53, has been permitted a drainage mound to hold the tank on the grass paddock next to number 55, which is 53’s semi-detached pair.

Pinehurst: The owner of 489 Cricklade Road, Mr Brown, could face the prospect of having to tear up the block paving he had laid down on land not his own just last June.

He has applied for retrospective permission for the change to the site, which is owned by Swindon Borough Council, between the pavement and the front of his house, and also has asked for permission to install a dropped kerb.

His application shows he uses the newly paved land to park a large pickup truck.

The council’s highways officer has objected on a number of grounds, including that the paved area is not big enough for the vehicle shown, and that it is also the site of a bus stop, so allowing vehicle movements across the pavements would be a risk to pedestrians.

Extensions: Applications have been lodged to build extensions to houses, outbuildings, or to convert lofts and garages into habitable rooms at: 32 Linslade Street Rodbourne; 8 Swanbrook, Covingham; 25 Lansdown Road, Old Town; 89 Okus Road, Old Town; 49 Mellow Ground, Haydon Wick; 71-72 Commercial Road and 10 Goddard Avenue, Old Town.

Such applications have been approved for  24 Boundary Close, Kingsdown; 70 Vistula Crescent, Haydon End; 15 Paddock Close, Haydon Wick; 75 Wheeler Avenue, Stratton St Margaret; 30 Sunningdale Road, Pinehurst; The Nursery Home, Marlborough Road, Chiseldon; 32 Malthouse Close, Blunsdon; ands157 Ermin Street, Stratton St Margaret.