WORK on building 350 homes in one of the most desirable postcodes in Swindon could start as early as next year.

Swindon planners have received an application on behalf of Fairview New Homes Ltd which wants to transform the Okus Industrial Estate into a modern development, that could include shops and recreational space.

And although the application will not be scrutinised by the planning committee until early next year, for some of the firms on the industrial estate it has meant a desperate search for new premises.

Ian Bailey, managing director of Bailey's Accident Repair Centre, which has been on Okus for the past 27 years, has just secured premises on Greenbridge Industrial Estate, but it has not been easy. His business moves on December 6.

Mr Bailey, 45, said: "All the units have been given notice to quit and some, like us, have been lucky and managed to relocate. Today the place looks deserted, but I must say when I brought the place I thought this would happen one day.

"SN1 is one of the most desirable postcodes in the borough and Old Town is one of the nicest places to live.

"I have been lucky getting another site, but it has taken me about six months."

In all around 40 businesses have had to relocate or face closure.

Brownfield development specialists Fairview purchased the 14 acre site for an undisclosed sum, which means with the closure of Princess Margaret Hospital there is now no commercial activity left on Okus Road.

Planners recently granted outline permission for a 70-bed nursing home and 400 units of housing to be built on the hospital site.

Fairview, whose recent developments include the Millennium Quay in Greenwich and Enfield Island Village, says it wants to build a high-density design comprising of flats and houses. Three out of ten homes there would be classed as affordable housing.

The company is among the top 10 developers in the country and primarily concentrates its operations in Greater London and the South East, but it plumped for Okus because it considered it to be a prime brownfield site.

Okus Area Residents' Association is, in principle, in favour of the development because it thinks the site is unsuitable for its current use.

WORK on building 350 homes in one of the most desirable postcodes in Swindon could start as early as next year.

Swindon planners have received an application on behalf of Fairview New Homes Ltd which wants to transform the Okus Industrial Estate into a modern development, that could include shops and recreational space.

And although the application will not be scrutinised by the planning committee until early next year, for some of the firms on the industrial estate it has meant a desperate search for new premises.

Ian Bailey, managing director of Bailey's Accident Repair Centre, which has been on Okus for the past 27 years, has just secured premises on Greenbridge Industrial Estate, but it has not been easy. His business moves on December 6.

Mr Bailey, 45, said: "All the units have been given notice to quit and some, like us, have been lucky and managed to relocate. Today the place looks deserted, but I must say when I brought the place I thought this would happen one day.

"SN1 is one of the most desirable postcodes in the borough and Old Town is one of the nicest places to live.

"I have been lucky getting another site, but it has taken me about six months."

In all around 40 businesses have had to relocate or face closure.

Brownfield development specialists Fairview purchased the 14 acre site for an undisclosed sum, which means with the closure of Princess Margaret Hospital there is now no commercial activity left on Okus Road.

Planners recently granted outline permission for a 70-bed nursing home and 400 units of housing to be built on the hospital site.

Fairview, whose recent developments include the Millennium Quay in Greenwich and Enfield Island Village, says it wants to build a high-density design comprising of flats and houses. Three out of ten homes there would be classed as affordable housing.

The company is among the top 10 developers in the country and primarily concentrates its operations in Greater London and the South East, but it plumped for Okus because it considered it to be a prime brownfield site.

Okus Area Residents' Association is, in principle, in favour of the development because it thinks the site is unsuitable for its current use.