Council offices could house Swindon museum

Council offices in Swindon could house the town's museum and art gallery if a planning application is successful.

It follows a campaign from Save our Museum and Art Gallery to prevent the museum's former home, Grade II listed Apsley House, from being sold off.

Swindon Borough Council said the new plan would allow it to display a larger collection that could not be provided at the previous location in Bath Road.

If approved, there would also be a small shop, offices, and storage.

To provide improved public access to the upper floor, there would also be a lift installed in part of the former staff canteen area, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

"It is understood that the construction of a new lift will result in some damage to the original fabric, but this facility will provide considerably improved access to the first floor", the application said.

The museum has been closed since March 2020.

A council spokesperson said: "We appreciate people want to see the new Museum and Art Gallery provision opened as soon as possible, and we'd like to reassure them we are moving as quickly as we can."

Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]