A BID to change the former home of a pharmaceutical manufacturer into homes will go ahead.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has given no objection for the change of use of the former Shire pharmaceutical base, in Unity Place, Chineham, to allow it to become 240 homes.

Under planning law, conversions of offices to homes does not require full consent with local authorities only asked to look at certain, narrower parameters.

In issuing no objection, the council wrote: “The proposed development would not give rise to adverse impacts in terms of transport and highways; contamination of land, flood risk or noise from commercial premises. The local planning authority therefore raises no objection and grants prior approval for the change of use.”

As previously reported by the Gazette, permission had been applied for last year to convert the former Shire pharmaceutical base, in Unity Place, Chineham, into 275 residential properties.

However, the application was withdrawn.

The site is in the heart of the business park, but the developers believe despite companies operating around the homes, there would not be an adverse effect on any new residents.

A planning statement presented to the borough council read: “Regarding the surrounding actual uses close to the site, it is apparent that there are no uses around this site which would create any issues of noise to the level where significant adverse impact on future residential use

.”

Shire, which, was founded in the town more than 30 years ago, took the decision to leave Basingstoke after announcing it would open a new office in Paddington in 2016.

The company officially left the site at the end of 2017.

At the time of the closure of the Basingstoke office, a number of jobs were moved to Dublin.

The site has been vacant since then.