An outdoor dining space between the harbourside and beach at West Bay could be extended for a local restaurant.

Planning permission is being sought for an existing dining area, with changes, including the addition of a low retaining wall outside, and the removal of three steps outside Sammi G's in West Bay.

The application says that the alterations being proposed would improve public access to the beach, while maintaining access for vehicles to the front of Clarence House, and better defining the dining area, which sits on an embankment close to the West bay Discovery Centre, adjacent to the public car park.

"At the northern end of the mound, the modern concrete steps will be removed and the path redirected up the side of the site onto the improved path which will be accessible to all," said a planning document submitted by agent Robbie Roskell Architectural.

"The area of ground has been used in recent years by the adjacent café business to provide customer seating by agreement with the council and it is now possible to offer improved public access and visual improvement to the area."

"The area of ground to be used as a seating area is 65m squared and the revised regraded footpath with retaining wall covers a length of 20m… It is intended to excavate part of the mound inserting a retaining wall to enable pedestrian access at a reasonable gradient and providing a level area on which to locate tables and chairs."

The agent says that the area will remain visually similar to the existing area outside the café, with the raised mound remaining, but enhanced with a timber retaining wall and compacted gravelled surface.

Wooden tables and benches will be provided, as now, and a timber post and rope perimeter 'fence' used to define the boundary of the seating area.

Three concrete steps will be removed from the northern end of the site but the historic stone wall on either side will remain. This wall was probably constructed in the 1950s after the adjoining land ceased to be used as an aggregate storage area."

Full details of the planning application can be found on Dorset Council's website (reference 2023/00134), where public comments can be made until February 10.