Fears that Sherborne would lose its only dine-in Indian restaurant after a planning officer at Dorset Council approved plans for the building were raised at a town council meeting this week.
Azizul (Abdul) Haque has run Rajpoot in Half Moon Street for 35 years and has a firm following.
However Huish Estates’ plans to increase residential use of the building could ruin his business, it is feared.The expansion of the residential area of the building would eat into the area where Mr Haque’s kitchen and toilets are, leaving him unable to trade, it is claimed.
On Tuesday night former town councillor Oliver Chisholm outlined his concerns for Mr Haque and for the town, if Rajpoot cannot continue to trade.
He said: “We will not only lose an immensely popular restaurant but also have yet another empty commercial premises in the heart of the town to add to the growing list.
He added: “Some may suggest there are plenty of places where the Rajpoot could relocate. But there is none suitable and in any case, why should a man who has spent years building his reputation now have to start all over again?”
Mr Chisholm also referred to an application to do much the same thing at the Three Wishes restaurant in Cheap Street. On Dorset Council’s planning portal the developer appears to be a different company, Swanmore Estates, but which has an officer in common with Huish.
Swanmore are hoping to re-configure Three Wishes, including moving the kitchen to the first floor in order to create a flat. They also want to convert a store to the rear into a second flat and re-configure a first floor flat to create a third. They are also asking to create four separate gardens for the flats.
Mr Chisholm said: “I am hoping we can at least stop this happening at Three Wishes, and I hope it’s not too late to stop the work at Rajpoot.
A spokesman for Dorset Council said: “There were no planning grounds for us to decline this application.
“Planning policy considers the available housing land supply and delivering of a sufficient supply of homes.”