School wrecked by two fires to be turned into flats

Stratton Education Centre lost most of its roof to blazes in 2022

A Victorian school building gutted by fire is to be converted into flats.

Stratton Education Centre in Swindon was badly damaged by two fires in 2022, one of which was suspected to be arson.

The red brick building, which was the previous home of Ruskin Junior School, lost most of its roof in the blaze.

But a housing company owned by Swindon Borough Council has now been given approval by the same council's planning officers to convert the building into seven flats, and to construct another 10 houses on site.

Two teenagers were arrested on suspicion of arson after the first fire, in March 2022, but the case was dropped in May 2023.

The school building will be turned into four one-bed flats and three two-bed flats, under the plans submitted by Swindon Housing Development Company.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, there will also be two small terraces of three houses nearby, as well as two pairs of semi-detached houses.

The plan was given consent despite the council's urban design officer having expressed disapproval about the design and layout of the houses.

The officer wrote in a submission to council planners: "I strongly believe [the proposal] remains unacceptable in its current format and must stress that this scheme is contrary to Swindon's policy which seeks to secure high quality design and contribute to distinctive, beautiful, enduring and successful places."

Three of the homes are designated as affordable – two at social rent (around 50% of market rates) and one at intermediate rent (no more than 80% of market rates).

The company will also give £6,000 to the council to fund traffic regulation orders.

The council approved a loan of £4m to the housing company in September to allow it to progress with the project.