Dr Keith RobinsonA REPORT by National Archives into the Wiltshire and Swindon record office has backed plans to build a new office to replace the existing building.

National Archives has acknowledged the current facility in Trowbridge does not meet their standards with the report saying: "There are aspects of the service and building which continue to fall well short of the guidelines laid out in the standard buy by National Archives."

They see the new record office, to be built in Chippenham, as the only long-term solution and a Heritage Lottery bid has been submitted to support the application.

Wiltshire County Council chief executive, Dr Keith Robinson, said: "I'm pleased that National Archives has backed our plans to build a new record office for Wiltshire and Swindon and have recognised the hard work that our staff and staff from Swindon Council have put into the project.

"We recognise the shortcomings of the current facility and agree wholeheartedly that our plans for the new building represents the only real option to provide the very best facilities that local people deserve."

National Archives was launched in April and brings together two existing organisations, the Public Record Office and the Historical Manuscripts Commission.

It is a national resource for anyone interested in, or with responsibility for, documents relating to British history.