PLANS to change the use of part of a prominent Bournemouth town centre building have been submitted.

The application seeks to convert a commercial language school on the first floor of Bristol and West House into 10 flats.

It comes shortly after permission was awarded to convert two shop units on the ground floor of Bristol and West House into a restaurant.

The latest application is submitted by GGP One LLP and states: "The existing language school is one of a number of language schools in the town centre and it is understood not to be a commercially thriving enterprise.

"Its loss would not have an impact on the vitality and viability of the town centre.

"The use of the first floor for residential apartments is commercially viable and would further support the future maintenance and management of the building as a whole."

The application will be considered in due course. However an application submitted by the same company and concerning the lower ground and ground floor of the same building was recently given the go-ahead.

This will see the existing two shops and a mezzanine level converted into a large restaurant, capable of seating around 200 people.

Bristol and West House, on the corner of Post Office Road, dates from the 1950s and replaced the Central Hotel, which was destroyed in the Second World War.

In granting permission, planning officer Tom Hubbard said: "Restaurant/cafe uses are considered to support the primary shopping frontage and encourage increased pedestrians to a quieter part of the town centre, increasing its vitality and viability.

"The restaurant/cafe use is to operate throughout the day and into the evening and this will add to the vitality of the area."