20259-32Planners should consider postponing development plans for part of the Mechanics' Institute.

That's the claim from the New Mechanics' Institution Preservation Trust, which is campaigning to convert the 150-year-old building in the heart of Swindon's historic Railway Village into a community centre.

Yesterday the Advertiser reported that businessman Mathew Singh, who has owned the decaying building for 18 months, is hoping that a Swindon Council planning meeting on Tuesday will see the first step in possibly converting the Mechanics', in Emlyn Square, into a business centre.

According to the planning application this would include a hotel, restaurant, conference centre, and facilities for fledgling companies and entrepreneurs wanting to take the first steps.

The plan is that it would be managed by Swindon Chamber and, being unique to England, could give Swindon a massive advantage when competing with other towns for fresh business.

Yesterday Swindon Chamber chief executive Dennis Grant told the Advertiser that the business centre would be unique for Britain, and would be a huge advantage in encouraging new business to the town.

He said: "It will convince companies thinking about moving to Swindon that we are serious about business."

But Martha Parry, the co-ordinator of the New Mechanics' Institution Preservation Trust, says the meeting should not go ahead until there has been more time for the public to find out about the application.

She is also unhappy that the trust has not been given a meeting with Swindon Council.

Ms Parry said: "We have asked for the meeting to be postponed. We were not notified of this meeting and we were promised a meeting with council officers, which has not happened.

"We have plans for this building but they do not need a planning application because we would be using it for traditional purposes and it would not need a change of use. This group has been around for almost ten years and should be consulted."

The New Mechanics' Institution, which is currently based in the Old Railway Museum, in Faringdon Road, has plans to see the Mechanics' Institute converted into a community centre, which would act as a headquarters for all voluntary and community groups in the town. It was originally used as an education and leisure centre for Swindon's Victorian railway workers.

The meeting will only be discussing the south end of the institute.

Ms Parry said: "This is a wonderful building and it should be treated as a unit. It should not be developed piecemeal it needs a comprehensive, long-term solution."

The meeting is due to take place at the Civic Offices in Euclid Street at 7pm and is open to the public.

Tom Morton