The Harbour House residential care home in George Street, West Bay, has been given permission to remove concrete balcony walls and replace them with frameless glass balustrades.

The walls and handrails, built in the 1970s, have been found to be defective and need replacing to improve safety and the look of the building. The planning application to Dorset Council said there are both horizontal and vertical cracks developing as a result of the reinforcing metalwork inside the structures breaking down at the three-storey building.

The south west and north west sides of the building are both affected and work will also be carried out to improve the balcony floors at the same time.

Bridport Town Council had voted in favour of agreeing the changes.