Students could study at Lydiard House after plans recommended for approval
Pupils from Lydiard Park Academy could study in the Grade 1 listed building from September
Students at a Swindon school could be doing their lessons and one of the borough’s most splendid buildings from the start of the new academic year in September.
Planners at Swindon Borough Council have recommended that members of the authority’s planning committee approve a plan, put forward by itself, to convert some of the office in the upper floors of the Grade I-listed Lydiard House, into classrooms for sixth-formers attending the nearby Lydiard Park Academy.
The school’s sixth-form centre is oversubscribed and was deemed unsafe in October last year and teaching has taken place in emergency spaces on the school’s site.
The council is also keen to make more use of the upper floors of the house, set in 260 acres of parkland, which dates back to the mid-18th century.
The rooms upstairs were set up in the 1980s to host conferences and meetings but the council’s application said: “The conference spaces, which are located on the first floor of the historic house are underused and remain unoccupied for large periods of time, which is leading to the building’s decline.”
The plans propose a new glazed door and screen at the entrance to the house and museum to provide a secure entrance for the students, separate from visitors to the museum, some minor changes to stairs and rooms and redecorating the rather tired, yellow-painted office spaces.
It says a maximum of 120 students and 12 staff would be using the spaces at the house at any one time.
Despite the objection of West Swindon Parish Council, and six residents who wrote to -planners, officers have recommended the plans be approved when they come to committee.
The report says: “The change of use of part of Lydiard House does not propose any external alterations. The proposed internal works all appear minor but necessary to accommodate the need.
“Lydiard House is currently under-utilised with unoccupied conference spaces.
“The introduction of sixth form centre will result in the heritage asset being fully occupied and this will undoubtedly change the heritage asset from being a visually attractive asset, to a destination with a regular and reliable function, resulting in a viable use.”
It concludes: “This development will allow for the renovation and full occupation of a currently under-utilised heritage asset therefore safeguarding it as a historic building.
“Lydiard House is a much-loved local asset which is currently considered to be in decline as a result of being largely vacant. The young people of Swindon are keen to use this heritage asset as a place from which to study.”
The council’s planning committee meeting starts at 6pm on Tuesday, March 10.