Plans are under way to transform parts of the former sorting office on Station Hill in Chippenham into a 24-hour pay and display car park.

Bransby Wilson Parking has applied to Wiltshire Council to use the outdoor space as a 35-space public car park.

The site has been empty for the past year since the Post Office moved the sorting office to Bumpers Farm industrial estate and has been used as an unofficial skateboard park by many youths in the town.

If the planning permission is granted it will only be on a three-year temporary basis until a buyer can be found for the entire complex.

A spokesman for LP Planning Consultants, on behalf of Bransby Wilson, said: “The site has been vacant for some time and it is starting to appear derelict and is being used unofficially for skateboarding and vandalism.

“The site will be open 24 hours per day and be available for general members of the public to use.

“It is also proposed to board up the existing openings to the bike storage sheds and garage in the northern part of the site in order to avoid vandalism.

“Whilst the planning officer has acknowledged in pre-application discussions that Wiltshire Council would not like to see car parking as a long term use, he also acknowledged that some use is better than none in terms of appearance.”

It is thought the car park will be popular with commuters as it is next to the railway station.

The developers are so confident that they will secure the temporary permission that they will start developing the site in four weeks, before being given permission.

This means that the application has to be retrospective.

Chippenham commuter Jamie Welling, 24, thinks the idea is a good one in principal but is not convinced it is the best place for a car park as it would put more cars on one of the town’s busiest roads.

He said: “Car parking in Chippenham is a total nightmare now so in theory the more spaces available, the better.

“But, having driven on Station Hill every weekday for the last two years, it is usually heavily congested and with cars stopping to come in and out of the car park it might become an issue.

“At the moment the sorting office is definitely an eyesore though so I guess this would be an improvement.”

It is expected that the council will make a decision within the next few months.