The British Postal Museum and Archives (BPMA) has appointed Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBS) to lead the development of its new £19m home in Swindon.

Work will now get underway on the restoration and repair of a Grade II*-listed property at the former Great Western Railway Chain Testing Works that will house the new attraction. Among the items included in the BPMA's collection to be made available to the public are objects such as red pillar boxes and postal vehicles, as well as examples of every British stamp issued since the Penny Black.

The BPMA has already received a first-round pass worth £118,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, which will allow it to work towards a full grant of £2.6m to help fund the scheme. BPMA director Adrian Steel said: "The BPMA is very pleased to have appointed FCBS as architects for this exciting new project. We feel that they are the right partner to deliver the new home our outstanding collections deserve."

In addition to the new postal museum and archive, Swindon's former railway works also provides a home to English Heritage, the National Trust and STEAM - the Museum of the Great Western Railway. Image: (c) Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, courtesy of The British Postal Museum and Archive