The units, which face London Street, have been designed as flexible spaces that can be adapted by future occupiers. Retail, café, bar and gallery uses are being encouraged as part of efforts to introduce more active, public-facing activity.
The Carriage Works sits within the wider Great Western Works estate and was built during the late nineteenth century, reflecting Swindon’s growth as a centre of railway engineering.
The exact date of the building’s construction has not been formally confirmed. It is widely understood to have been developed in the Victorian era and to have played a role in the town’s historic railway carriage production.
Swindon Borough Council has been leading regeneration of the area since 2018. Over recent years, several new uses have been introduced to the site.
These include The Worshed, the Cultural Heritage Institute operated by the Royal Agricultural University, a film-making facility for Create Studios and the Innovation Centre for Applied Sustainable Technologies, known as iCAST.
Together, the developments have begun to shift the Carriage Works from a largely heritage-focused site towards a mixed-use destination centred on culture, skills and innovation.
Further work is underway as part of a third phase of development within the Carriage Works complex. The release of the new units suggests a growing focus on increasing everyday footfall and activity at the site.
Whether the regeneration can create a sustainable and well-used place, rather than a series of standalone projects, is expected to become clearer as the units are brought into use.
