PLANS to bulldoze an iconic Portland pub and transform the site with a café and homes have been unveiled.

Residents are now being urged to have their say on proposals for the Pulpit Inn site.

Dorchester-based developer Koori Ltd, which owns the site, has made the decision to demolish the existing building to make way for a café/bar, flats, houses and even 'Hobbit Homes' dug into sloping grass.

A selection of initial ideas have been unveiled showing how the site could look.

Three ideas of how the site could look like have been revealed in an online consultation process.

This is the first stage in the process and Koori are exploring a number of ideas that they would like feedback on. There will be further opportunities for public consultation later in the process as the designs develop.

Usually, this process would take place as a public exhibition but due to social distancing guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic it is instead being held online, with residents urged to put forward their views.

A spokesperson said: "Koori values the time that the public take to contribute their thoughts and ideas and recognises that it is especially important in this fantastic location."

The proposed new café/bar would accommodate up to 70 covers and 10 bar seats, with southwards views out across Portland Bill.

The parking and forecourt could be arranged to provide 40 car parking spaces, similar to what is already available on the site. However, the existing car parking interrupts the views to the south, while the future parking would be to the east side of the site.

Nine residential units would be created to provide a mix of family houses and 'duplex-style' apartments

The design of these buildings would draw on the architectural character of the existing coastal cottages and the accommodation provided for a lighthouse keeper. The materials used would be local Portland stone with some render, white or pale brick and roofs of slate.

In the presentation, the land to the north of The Pulpit could be used to provide camping pods or 'Hobbit Houses'. The 'pods' would be cut into the sloping ground, appearing as grassy mounds from above.

To view the development ideas and to have your say, visit https://publications.thepulpit.co.uk/pulpit/the-pulpit?pid=MTA108510&p=21&v=6.1

The consultation will run until the end of October.