Old Town: Plans to build a new car park for a doctors’ surgery have been turned down.

The Heritage Surgery in Charlotte Mews wanted to pave over a patch of wooded green space next to its existing parking area to create six new spaces for its staff.

But the application by the surgery, part of the Westrop Medical Practice in Blunsdon, was rejected by planners at Swindon Borough Council.

Neighbours living nearby, particularly in the listed Redlands building, had objected, saying the loss of the green space would be detrimental, and there were a number of municipal car parks nearby.

Officers at Euclid Street agreed. The decision said: “The proposed development by virtue of the loss of important green open space will result in a detrimental impact being caused to the setting of a listed building, Redlands, and the character of the Old Town conservation area.”

South Marston: The design and layout of 20 houses to be built on the site of a fire-destroyed hotel have been agreed, bringing construction one step closer, although work has been stopped by the coronavirus shut-down.

Bellway Homes has permission to build 70 houses on the site of the hotel, originally a vicarage in Old Vicarage Lane. It has satisfied the borough council’s planning officers about the layout, and design, one of the conditions of the planning permission to build there. The company’s plans on tree protection, landscape maintenance, access, parking and drainage of foul and surface water have all been signed off.

Badbury Park: Building 300 new homes on the third phase of the major Badbury Park development to the south of the town will not harm any bats or badgers. Persimmon Homes, which has permission for the development, had to conduct a survey of wildlife before work could start.

The survey said that the trees on site were unlikely to be used by any bats – which are protected – as a roosting place, and there was no evidence of badgers using the site for their setts.

The construction company’s construction management plan, and its plan to ensure that gases from the old landfill site that was used at the location of Badbury Brickworks do not leak into the houses were approved. Persimmon has announced work at all its sites has been suspended during the pandemic lockdown.

Rodbourne: Two tenants of the Designer Outlet are expanding their units.

Wagamama, the popular pan-Asian restaurant chain, has applied to remove partitions to allow the expansion of the Wagamama branch into the unit used until recently by El Mexicana. That has been approved.

Also given the go-ahead is the plan to remove partitions between the unit used by fashion shop Claire’s and the next two units, making one unit from three.

Abbey Meads: The expansion of German supermarket Aldi in Latham is progressing. The company has received approval of its construction management plan, and the siting and specifications of electric vehicle charging points – both conditions in the original planning permission. It has been given the green light for an application for the extension to have new illuminated and non-illuminated signs.

Aldi said the branding on the store near the A419 in Kingsdown is “an important element to the commercial success of the business”. There was no objection from the council’s lighting or highways officers.

Extensions and conversions: Approval has been given to a plan to build both a side and rear extension and a detached garden hobbies room at 73, Severn Avenue, Haydon Wick. An extension has been approved at 20 Frome Road, also in Haydon Wick and at 3 Thurlestone Road in Old Walcot, and 3 Cypress Grove, Moredon.

The conditions laid on the owner of Sandown Villa at 62 Bath Road in Old Town regarding the exterior appearance of a new detached garage including office space, to replace an existing garage to be demolished have been approved.