Part of a regional daily’s Grade II-listed former home is now set to become housing – with temporary residents occupying the building ahead of its refurbishment.

As reported by HTFP in April, Swindon Advertiser staff left Victoria Road, where the newspaper had been based since the 1870s, for Richmond House, on the outskirts of Swindon.

Prior to their departure, it was reported that the Victoria Road building would be refurbished to house modern offices, but planners have since been given the green light for the former newsroom and printworks to be converted into 31 flats.

The historic stone frontage of the site will still be refurbished as offices.

The Swindon Advertiser’s old Victoria Road home

In the meantime, developer Blewbury Court has opened up the offices to paying guests under a ‘property guardianship’ scheme, which sees tenants pay less in rent in return for keeping otherwise empty properties from vandalism.

The eight-bedroom house share has been advertised on property websites like Rightmove and Spareroom since the beginning of the summer, with monthly rent for an unfurnished room given as £285 including bills.

Blewbury Court told the Advertiser that the scheme, run through Ad Hoc Property Management, was “effectively protecting the old building until it was ready to be refurbished”.

A story run by the Advertiser adds: “The temporary residents would ensure the security of the building until the outstanding planning matters for the redevelopment are resolved with Swindon Borough Council.”