Engineering company Swagelok has submitted plans to either replace or redevelop the government’s driving and vehicle test centre, in order to create a new industrial building right next door to its existing one.

Construction is currently underway on a new test centre at a nearby site, which is expected to be completed by spring next year.

The government has reached an agreement to sell the current test centre site in Tromode to Swagelok.

A deposit has been paid, but the sale is still subject to conditions such as the granting of planning permission.

The government said that the monetary figure is ’commercially confidential’ at this stage.

In order to keep their options open, Swagelok has drawn up two different planning applications.

The first (21/01368/B) would involve the demolition and replacement of the test centre with a new industrial building.

The second (21/01369/B) would involve the refurbishment and extension of the existing test centre building.

In the first application, the planned new building would include offices, meeting rooms, a product assembly and testing area, laboratories, a warehouse and a quality control area.

Swagelok said that it intends to occupy the new building with both existing and new employees, which would ’alleviate pressure on floor space in their existing [neighbouring] facility and potentially provide additional floor space for increased manufacturing’.

The development would bring ’employment and economic benefits to the island’, the company added.

In the separate application to refurbish and extend the existing test centre, these same additional facilities (from the offices to the laboratories) would be provided for, as in the plans for the new building.

In addition to the ’extensive refurbishment works’, there will be a new extension to the east-facing side of the building.

Swagelok described the current test centre building as being ’in poor condition’, and both sets of plans aim to replace it with ’a new modern facility’ with a main entrance and reception.

The test centre’s existing exit onto Ballafletcher Road would be modified to allow two-way traffic, and become the main entrance for the new Swagelok site. Seventy-six parking spots would also be created.