A former pub and restaurant Ferndown is to be converted into offices.

The Kings Arms in Ringwood Road, Longham, closed just before to the Covid pandemic, having struggled financially over a number of years.

Over recent years planning proposals for the site have included building ten 3-bed homes, which was withdrawn by developers, Fortitudo, in the face of local opposition, to be replaced by a redesigned proposal for eight homes, but that was also withdrawn.

The site was then put back on the market in November 2022 and bought by the new owner who intends to refurbish the building, to appear much as it previously did, using some of the space for his own business and sub-letting other parts of the former pub for office use.

Agents say the use as a pub, or restaurant, continues to be unviable with three pubs within walking distance, and with the main building having been stripped out in preparation for the earlier proposals for homes on the plot, making conversion back to a pub or restaurant, too expensive.

The site lies within the Bournemouth Green Belt.

Ferndown Parish Council in their response to the change of use said they were happy that a new use had been found while many of the dozen letters about the application to Dorset Council said they also supported the new use, especially after the new owner guaranteed to maintain the public right of way across the car park.

One said he believed the footpath had existed for at least a century and provided a much-used route to Longham Lakes.