A new planning application to Dorset Council proposes changing the listed building at 62 West Street, formerly Sunny Days Nursery, into a a four-bedroom home with a ground-floor art gallery.
If approved the gallery will be named “Lily Art Gallery” in tribute to the building’s former life as the Lily Hotel. It will be family-run and offer exhibition space for local artists, occupy one room on the ground floor, with proposed opening hours between 9am and 5:30pm, Monday to Saturday.
The planning application, which is open for comment, comes from from Mrs Sarah Miles of Yeovil.
The building, which dates back to the mid-19th century, has a rich history as a public house and later a nursery, which closed in the autumn of 2020, according to the application papers.
A previous planning permission had already been granted to convert it into a home, but the new application seeks to incorporate a retail element which is in line with Bridport’s town centre development policies.
Much of the building will remain, externally, as it is with proposed to restore some original architectural features, replacing deteriorated roof slates, reopening bricked-up windows, and improving access via St Michael’s Lane, where a new parking space will be created to give two in total. The plans also include biodiversity enhancements such as garden, planting, and bird boxes.
Local consultation on the proposal are said to have been positive, with neighbouring residents and shop owners welcoming the reuse of the building.
The site lies within the Bridport Conservation Area, and the restoration, if agreed, is said to enhance the street scene and preserve the heritage of the site.
Comments on the application (P/FUL/2025/04330) are open until September 19th via the Dorset Council planning portal.
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