Gardens · South East England
The Spectrum Building (formerly The Renault Distribution Centre)
In or near Lydiard Tregoze.
The Spectrum Building (formerly The Renault Distribution Centre) — a garden in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
Robert Gourley — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1 h–2.5 h
- Best time of year
- Spring & summer (Apr–Sep)
- Nearest railway station
- Swindon · 2.7 km
- Free entry
- Dog-friendly
Getting there & planning your visit
The Spectrum Building is located in Swindon, postcode SN5 5XS, and is approximately 2.7 km from the nearest railway station, Swindon. Entry is free.
About
The Spectrum Building (formerly The Renault Distribution Centre) is a garden of interest in england-south-east, United Kingdom — drawn from open-data sources for visitor reference. See the linked Wikipedia article for the full description.
Photo gallery
Summary from the official site
Swindon Lagoons is a nature reserve in Wiltshire that showcases the recovery of wildlife in an area previously used for waste storage. Visitors can explore the lagoons, reed beds, and grasslands during guided tours and open days, where they may observe various bird species and other wildlife.
Read more on the official property page.
Protected designations
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Cotswolds
- Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: North Wessex Downs
Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.
From the Wikipedia article
The Spectrum Building (formerly the Renault Distribution Centre) is a high tech building in Swindon, England, commissioned by the French car company Renault for their UK operations. Designed by the British architect Norman Foster of Foster Associates, it opened in 1982. Renault moved out in 2001, and since then it has been known as The Spectrum Building. It was listed Grade II* by English Heritage in 2013. In 2025, the building was converted into an arsenal factory operated by the Portuguese military-industrial corporation Tekever for the production of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
In 1983, the building was officially opened by the French Minister of Consumer Affairs, Catherine Lalumière. In 1985 the building featured in the James Bond film A View to a Kill. The facility was closed in 2001 when Renault ended its operations in Swindon. In 2013, the building was Grade II* listed by Historic England. In late 2023, it was reported that the building would undergo a £4.7m renovation, funded by AEW Capital Management. In September 2025, Minister of Defence John Healey announced that the site would be converted into a military drone manufacturing facility operated by Tekever, expected to open in 2026 as identified in the 2025 Strategic Defence Review. Since 2022, the UK…
Architecture
The architecture expressed not only the corporate ownership, through the yellow of Renault used on all the structural elements, but also promoted a modern statement on industrial relations by using the same roof over the warehouse and offices, making no distinction between white- and blue-collar workers. The cable-stayed steel structural system provides a 24m column-clear zone, with the columns being of only 450mm diameter. Renault commissioned the building in 1980 after outgrowing their premises in Reading. Planning permission was granted in June 1981, construction commenced July 1981 and practical completion was achieved in December 1982. The building won several awards in 1984 including…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 51.5671, -1.8243
- District
- Swindon
- Parish
- West Swindon
- Postcode
- SN5 5XS
- Parliamentary constituency
- Swindon South
- Phone
- 01380 725670
- Established
- 1982
- Nearest railway station
- Swindon — 2.7 km
- Official site
- www.wiltshirewildlife.org
Sources
- wikidata: Q17549130 (CC0)
- wikipedia: The Spectrum Building (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is The Spectrum Building (formerly The Renault Distribution Centre)?
- The Spectrum Building (formerly The Renault Distribution Centre) is in South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode SN5 5XS), in the parish of West Swindon.
- What is The Spectrum Building (formerly The Renault Distribution Centre)?
- The Spectrum Building (formerly The Renault Distribution Centre) — a garden in england-south-east, United Kingdom.
- How do I get to The Spectrum Building (formerly The Renault Distribution Centre)?
- The nearest railway station is Swindon, about 2.7 km away. Drivers can use postcode SN5 5XS.
- When was The Spectrum Building (formerly The Renault Distribution Centre) built?
- Built or established in 1982. Designed by Foster and Partners.
- Who owns The Spectrum Building (formerly The Renault Distribution Centre)?
- The Spectrum Building (formerly The Renault Distribution Centre) is owned by | landlord =.
- Is The Spectrum Building (formerly The Renault Distribution Centre) a protected site?
- Yes — The Spectrum Building (formerly The Renault Distribution Centre) is part of the Cotswolds National Landscape (AONB) and the North Wessex Downs National Landscape (AONB).
- Is The Spectrum Building (formerly The Renault Distribution Centre) free to visit?
- Yes, The Spectrum Building (formerly The Renault Distribution Centre) is free to enter.
- How do I get to The Spectrum Building (formerly The Renault Distribution Centre)?
- The nearest railway station is Swindon, about 2.7 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode SN5 5XS.