A planning application has gone in to turn a Watford restaurant into a shop and create flats.

Spice Lounge, in Market Street, Watford, would see its classification use changed from restaurant to retail premises, with the storage area behind it turned into a studio flat, if a plan that appeared yesterday (June 13) is approved.

There would then be stairs to the first floor, made up of a flat and two "HMO" bedrooms which would share a kitchen with a third bedroom in a planned loft conversion.

Spice Lounge would have to close under the plan, but the landlord said development may not start for some time, even if approved, as the restaurant still has two and a half years on its lease.

Developments are usually given three years from the date planning permission is granted to begin work.

The Bangladeshi restaurant's owner, Ali, who had not been aware of the plan before being contacted by the Watford Observer, did not confirm whether Spice Lounge would see out the full length of the lease.

The garden would be for the ground floor flat to use and there would be an area for bins and bikes, but it would be car free.

There are currently two bedrooms in the building.

Existing ground floor extensions and outbuildings would be demolished and replaced.