BEDSIT accommodation could be created on the first floor above Dorchester's latest restaurant.

The planning application comes from the Everest 29032 Restaurant on the High Street at Fordington – the previous Bull's head pub which ceased trading around 2016 and had remained vacant since.

Everest 29032 Restaurants took on the property at the end of 2024 on a 15year lease to bring their Nepalese and Indian restaurant to the area and have recently opened for business.

The proposal, P/FUL/2025/07300, seeks permission to change the use of the first floor from a single dwelling (Use Class C3) to a home in multiple occupation (Use Class C4).

To the east of the site Wessex Water's Dorchester Water Recycling Centre on St Georges Road could retain its cabin building for office accommodation under application P/FUL/2025/06461.

Elsewhere in the town several homeowners are planning property improvements.

On Castle Park at 24 Manor Road, proposals under P/HOU/2025/06994 include erecting single-storey flat roof side and rear extensions. A loft conversion with rear dormer windows is proposed at 17 Barnes Way (P/HOU/2025/07015); 61 Balmoral Crescent could see a new front porch added (P/HOU/2025/07275) while at 60 Mellstock Avenue, application P/HOU/2025/07351 outlines plans for a single-storey rear extension, a rear balcony, external alterations, and the installation of solar panels.

All applications are currently under consideration.

Full details and opportunities to comment are available via the Dorset Council planning portal.