Former printworks to be demolished for new homes

Five new homes will be built on the former printworks site

A former printworks and snooker club will be demolished to make way for five new houses, after planning permission was granted.

The Baize Social Club in Swindon has been closed since 2015, and will be replaced with a terrace of four three-bedroom homes and a one-bedroom detached house.

The Wiltshire homes will be built with solar panels and feature electric vehicle charging points.

Special bricks for nesting birds will also be used, as well as compost bins for garden and kitchen waste.

'Providing significant improvement'

The planning application said: "The character and appearance of the immediate area will be enhanced by the proposals, as the existing building is run-down and unattractive in appearance.

"The redevelopment of the site will provide a significant improvement to the street scene."

There were no objections from the parish council or neighbours, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A report by the borough council’s planning officer said: “The benefits of the development that makes use of a brownfield site in a highly sustainable location, providing the much-needed housing in the borough, is considered acceptable."

The new homes will come with parking spaces and solar panels

The building was originally a printworks called Europrint, opening in the early to mid-1970s, before becoming a snooker hall called the Green Baize and then the Baize Social Club.

The site was put up for auction in August with a guide price of £240,000 plus fees.

A different company was given permission in 2021 to build a block of nine flats on the site – but no progress had been made with that scheme.