A CIRENCESTER social club that recently closed its doors to the public could be given a new lease of life as one of the town’s newest housing locations.

The Social and Services Club in Chesterton, which was repossessed by Cotswold District Council last month, has been identified as a suitable site in which to develop housing as part of the district wide Local Plan.

The Local Plan sets out a provision for 6,900 new homes to be built across the Cotswolds over the next 17 years, including 3,360 new homes being built solely in Cirencester.

Ward councillors and members of the public picked the site during a recent ‘place-shaping’ exercise, which involved analysing numerous sites across Cirencester that are capable of being transformed into housing.

It was noted that the site in Chesterton Lane was “currently not being used to its full potential” and that the 1960s architecture would be “suitable for sympathetic redevelopment”.

Cllr Jenny Hincks, chairman of CTC’s planning committee, said it was vital that brownfield sites were looked at before others.

“I think it’s really important for a town to have a good housing stock and to develop its existing areas before building on a town or parish’s green spaces,” she said.

Another landmark site that has been earmarked for transformation is the town’s magistrates court, located near to the Forum Car Park.

In a report compiled by the town council, the court was described as being “in a town centre location with a poor quality building suitable for redevelopment”.

The other six sites in Cirencester that have been flagged up as potential housing locations are:

• 42-54 Querns Lane

• Austin Road flats

• Land at Chesterton School, Somerford Road

• Land at Paternoster House, Watermoor Road

• Field east of Somerford Road

• Memorial Hospital, Sheep Street

The findings of the ‘place-shaping’ exercise were reported back to Cirencester Town Council at its meeting on Tuesday, March 11.

For details of the councillors’ reactions to the exercise, pick up a copy of next week’s Standard.