PLANS have been submitted by Defence Science Technology Laboratory (Dstl) to refurbish and extend two of its existing buildings on its site at Porton Down.

A design and access statement submitted for Project Sierra says the refurbishment and extension of the buildings is to “accommodate relocated capability facilities from Sandridge, Hertfordshire and Langhurst, Horsham, together with the provision of a new meeting and conferencing facility which will be used by the whole site.”

The statement said: “The relocated facilities primarily exist of operational equipment storage and trials preparation areas, vehicle loading areas, technical dry laboratories, operational vehicle parking, and SMART working offices.”

The buildings were originally offices and mess facilities.

For one of the buildings a new two-storey extension is proposed, which will be used as the meeting and conferencing facility. This facility will provide small meeting rooms as well as three larger ones which can be opened up into a large conference room.

It will be constructed in the “same style and materials” as the existing building. A new accessible ramp would also be provided.

The link corridor between the two buildings will be removed and the area will be “remodelled, extended and re-tarmacked” to provide vehicle access to the new loading areas and internal vehicle bay.

The application documents said a travel plan for the Dstl Porton Down site was currently being updated but would be in place prior to completion of Project Sierra.

The documents said: “In terms of the additional numbers of staff that will be based on the proposed developed area of the Dstl Porton Down site compared to the previous use, this will be neutral since roughly the same number of staff moved out into the science park as are now moving into the complex in Project Sierra.”

It continued: “The existing buildings are currently unoccupied. The buildings shapes and sizes make them ideal candidates to house operational equipment storage and trials preparation areas, technical dry laboratories, SMART working offices and a meeting and conferencing facility.

“The building is surrounded by a large amount of open area, much of which is hardstanding, making it ideal for the vehicle loading areas and operational vehicle parking.”

To view the planning application or submit comments go to wiltshire.gov.uk and use reference 20/01395/FUL.