AN extension and internal changes have been agreed to the Seaside Boarding House Restaurant and Bar at Burton Bradstock.

The Cliff Road building, which overlooks Hive Beach, is to build a first-floor extension for extra guest accommodation.

A Dorset Council planning officer says the changes would also “enhance the visual appearance of the building, through the removal of unsightly elements and by providing a counter balance to the large single storey extensions at ground floor level.”

Bridport and Lyme Regis News:

How the extension would look

The site is within the Dorset Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty and in an area of Heritage Coast with the South-West Coast path passing behind the Boarding House.

A previous application had been agreed in 2012 for a new three-storey complete replacement of the existing building which would have been on a similar, or greater, scale than the current proposals to extend.

The Seaside Boarding House occupies one of a pair of 19th century buildings, both originally built for two brothers. The other building, now known as Barton Olivers, is still in use as a home.

The hotel says it will extend over the footprint of an existing modern flat-roof extension, providing four en-suite bedrooms although one room will be used to make the connection to the new extension, resulting in three extra bedrooms overall.

“The design is based on the existing building for its proportion, massing and details. Thus we have adopted the pitched roofs and gables with bay windows that are seen on the original building,” said the business.

The extension will add around 135 square metres to the existing building’s 1,056 square metres with the new walls painted white to match the existing walls and the roof made of natural slate.

Burton Bradstock parish council had raised no objection to the changes and there were no other comments, for or against, the proposal.