A former flax factory building in St George’s Road, Dorchester could become terraced housing.

An outline planning application asks for the building to be converted to seven homes with an extension at the western end to create two new terraced houses – totalling nine in all on the site.

Eight would be three-bed and one four-bed.

The ‘in principle’ application has been made by Ferndown-based Grennall Ltd and says that it will also create six new parking space to bring the number on site to 21.

The building is currently listed as being used for storage and will be known to local people as being used to park vintage fairground vehicles and caravans. It is on the southern side of the road just off the junction to Fenway Close, on the way to the town’s household recycling centre.

It has the appearance of an agricultural barn with a corrugated tin roof and several bays.

Outline permission was granted for demolition of the building and its replacement with eight homes in June 2017 which the applicants say is still valid and could be used, but they would prefer to re-use the existing building as much as possible.

Comments on the application can be made on the Dorset Council website until March 17.