‘Dilapidated’ building on Westgate in Hunstanton could be turned into cafe if plans approved

A “dilapidated” building which has lay empty for more than a year could be transformed into a new town cafe.

On behalf of a Mrs L Schmid, Sheringham-based SMG Architects has submitted an application to turn a property on Westgate, Hunstanton into a venue for food and drinks.

Number 42 on the street currently forms part of a terrace block - and if successful, proposals would see its ground floor changed from a dwelling house into a cafe.

The upper floors would then be used to create two one-bedroom flats, with independent access points created.

A design access and heritage statement put together by SMG Architects says that the business would bring “benefit for the immediate town context and the community as a whole, as well as offer more attraction and choices to visitors from elsewhere”.

It adds that the building is currently in an “advanced state of dilapidation” having lay empty for more than 12 months.

The business would reportedly be family-run, offering a range of “French and English specialties” prepared with locally-sourced ingredients.

The site is located within Hunstanton’s conservation area, but is not one of Historic England’s listed building – with a conservation officer telling the architects that they have no objections to the change of use.

Its staff plan to maintain the building’s appearance as much as possible and, in some cases, reinstate its original appearance by removing some “undesired” extensions.

The report says: “The main intervention will take part on the front elevation, where an opening is going to be formed, replacing the ground floor window to create the cafe’s main entrance point.”