Closed Swindon nightclub Casbah to be turned into flats

Casbah was a popular part of Swindon town centre nightlife until it closed in March 2020

Permission has been granted to turn a former nightclub building in the centre of Swindon into flats.

Casbah closed in March 2020 after almost 18 years as a popular part of the town's nightlife.

Swindon Borough Council has approved two separate applications to convert the John Street building.

Under one of the plans the building would be demolished and rebuilt, the other application would retain the existing building and convert it.

Applicant K Chesterton SIPP and Camp Hills Estates, said while the building could be converted, it would require "extensive modifications", so it felt it would be better to demolish it and start again.

The company said converting the former nightclub would be more expensive and "the return on the investment meagre and its architectural merit low".

"The structure's ability to accommodate additional structural changes is coming to an end" the company added.

The empty building on John Street has permission to be turned into flats

It said it planned to build a five-storey block of 12 apartments in its place.

The second application, from CDI Investment Ltd, could see the building converted into nine apartments.

The company said it wanted to contribute to the regeneration of the area where a number of pubs and clubs have already been converted into flats, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

"The surrounding shopping area is in economic decline.

"Most of the buildings in the surroundings have either exceeded their design life, or have outlived their purpose and some shops have been boarded up.

"Swindon Borough Council is aware of the need to reverse a declining trend.

"It is proposed to use the existing structure to help the development be sustainable," the company added.

Both schemes have full planning consent to carry out their proposals.

Whether the applicant is in a position to acquire the land and begin building work is outside of the remit of the planning system.

It is not necessary to own a building or plot of land to submit an application for planning consent that relates to it.