Light industrial units at Park Road, Portland are to be converted into nine homes – with the business moving to Osprey Quay where it can expand.

A change of use application for the Eurotubes UK site has been approved by a planning officer under delegated powers.

Agents for the company say they explored growing the business on the site but concluded that it would mean extending the building to the boundaries resulting in an awkward shape for new machinery and would also be costly, requiring piled foundations.

An application was then submitted in October 2018 to change the light industrial building into homes.

It allows for six two-bed three flats or maisonettes and three one-bed which the application say can be constructed with very little external change to the existing building. They will be let on a long-term basis.

Several residents and the then ward councillor commented that the application could result in extra parking problems in the area – but the agent for Eurotubes said there would be less driving to and from the site. He said that each flat would have one allocated car space with three visitor spaces. An area has also been allocated for bike storage.

“There will be no increase in traffic along Park Road as the entrance to the site is very close to the end of Park Road. The business employed 9-10 people, all driving, so there will be no increase in traffic entering the site or requiring on street parking. Indeed the traffic will diminish as there won’t be any commercial deliveries or collections from the premises,” said a letter from the agent to Dorset Council planning officers.