VIEWS are being sought on plans to turn the upper floors of a former bank into a hotel.

New Forest District Council has received an application to provide seven en-suite bedrooms at the old HSBC premises at 102-103 High Street, Lymington.

As reported in the Daily Echo, the three-storey bank closed two years ago.

The first and second floors are currently vacant but the ground floor is home to a restaurant called Huddle, which opened earlier this year.

According to the application, the creation of hotel bedrooms would involve only "limited alterations" to the building, including the removal of lightweight partitions.

Find all the latest planning applications via the public notice portal: publicnoticeportal.uk

A design and access statement that accompanies the proposal claims Lymington is short of serviced visitor accommodation and says the proposed conversion would make "good use" of upper floors.

The scheme would also "secure the future" of an important listed building in the town centre.

"The works needed to implement the proposed use would result in an overall improvement to the historic fabric of the building, which the previous use did not.

"The proposals will ensure its long term conservation, maintain viability, and enhance the character of the fabric."

A public notice giving details of the planned conversion has been published by the council, which will decide the application.