THE demise of The Lobster Pot restaurant in Upper Hale Road looks set to be sealed later this year after plans were submitted to demolish the existing building and replace it with a ‘modern’ restaurant, shop and 11 apartments.

Ressance Land No11 Ltd has applied for planning permission to undertake the works, which add to an application for four new houses on the restaurant’s car park granted by the Secretary of State on appeal last July.

Question marks have hung over the future of The Lobster Pot since it closed in mysterious circumstances over the Christmas period. A design and access statement accompanying the new application explains the reasons for its closure.

It states: “The Lobster Pot ceased to trade on December 31, 2015. due to continued poor trading levels over several periods, rendering the business unsustainable in its current form.

“The proposal scheme seeks to replace the out-dated restaurant, which is inefficiently laid out and too large for the catchment potential, with a modern purpose-built restaurant.

“The applicant has carried out an assessment of market demand, which although very hard to judge, indicates that the proposed 32-seat facility will be viable.

“A modern, successful and vibrant new restaurant will make a strong social economic and environmental contribution to the area.”

Ressance has not yet secured a tenant for the new, smaller restaurant, but will make “concerted efforts” to secure a pre-let before its completion.

The new building will be built over two storeys and each of the 11 apartments will have two en-suite bedrooms, a living room, bathroom and kitchen.

To view and comment on the latest application, visit the website www.waverley.gov.uk/planning and search for planning application reference WA/2016/0349.

• Waverley Borough Council refused an application for four houses on The Lobster Pot’s car park in December 2014, citing the cramped and crowded appearance of the site, adverse impact on adjoining occupiers, insufficient car parking provision and cycle parking provision, and unsatisfactory vehicular arrangements for the existing restaurant.

However, a Government inspector overturned the decision on appeal, concluding that the proposal’s appearance, impact on adjoining occupiers and level of car parking would be “acceptable”.