MULTI-MILLION pound proposals for the Three Cups building and surrounding site in Lyme Regis will be unveiled next month at a public consultation event.

Palmers Brewery is set to reveal plans for a landmark new restaurant with letting rooms, retail space, and residential flats.

The proposals will be on show on Thursday, June 13 at the Pilot Boat Inn.

This will be the second consultation about the Three Cups that owner Palmers Brewery has held in the town.

At the first, in September 2010, it presented several options for the site.

The brewery said the updated plans have been based on the option that received most public support initially.

The main features of the proposals are:

• Conservation of the historic building fronting on to Broad Street.

• Landmark new restaurant with letting rooms in the old car park at the back of the site.

• Access path through to Langmoor Gardens.

• A ground floor shop space. • Some residential flats, necessary to fund some of the cost of the scheme.

Palmers is inviting the public to view and comment on the latest proposals, before they make a planning application to West Dorset District Council later this summer.

Brewery chairman John Palmer said: “The Three Cups is a truly special site at the heart of Lyme Regis.

“Since the last consultation we’ve done a great deal of work with English Heritage, our architects and structural engineers to devise detailed plans that show how we could revive the site economically while conserving its exceptional heritage.”

Mr Palmer revealed that the cost of the proposed scheme, if granted planning consent, would be several million pounds.

“This is a very expensive project, not least because of the access, the heritage and the underlying geology of Lyme itself,” he said.

“Nevertheless, we have chosen the ‘Rolls Royce’ option because we believe that the town deserves the best investment we can afford.

“I am really excited about the benefits this could bring to Lyme.

“Another top notch restaurant to further enhance its credentials as a foodie destination, more quality letting rooms to expand the number of beds available at peak season, bringing people from the Cobb and seafront into the centre of Broad Street through the Langmoor Gardens link, conserving a historic building and enabling public access to the ground floor of that building, improving the appearance of Lyme’s main street by restoring the frontage of the Three Cups – the list is long.

“I hope that as many townspeople as possible will be able to come along on the 13th and see the plans for themselves.”

Palmers’ proposals will be on show in the function room of the Pilot Boat Inn in Bridge Street from 10am to 7pm.