WH Smith submits housing plans in bid to sell site

WH Smith has submitted development plans for its former headquarters in the hope planning approval will make it easier to sell.

The retailer has operated out of Greenbridge Road in Swindon since the 1960s.

It sold off part of the site for development in 2019 but held on to an office tower and warehouse block.

It already has outline permission to knock down and replace the buildings with 200 homes but, in plans submitted to Swindon Borough Council, the retailer has now detailed what the homes would look like.

In 2019, developer Keepmoat purchased part of the site and built 134 houses there.

Now WH Smith has submitted plans for the rest of the site, which includes 219 homes, a central park and children's playground.

In its application, the company said it hoped planning permission would make the sale of the site easier so it could vacate as soon as the decision to relocate was finalised.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the company previously said it would remain committed to keeping its headquarters operation in the town.

"The sale of the site with a planning permission is considered to be the optimal strategy to enable the relocation of operations and retaining jobs, with the intention to remain in Swindon," it said.

This, however, was before the retailer announced it was selling its high street shops to Hobbycraft-owner Modella Capital and would be concentrating on its branches in railways stations, hospitals and airports instead.

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