MARK Hix’s Lyme Regis restaurant could become one of the town’s most important contemporary buildings under new proposals.

Architect Stuart Case said the iconic glass and timber building in Lister Gardens would be further enhanced by a new outside terrace.

Mr Hix wants to extend Hix Oyster and Fish House, built in 2008, with a balcony to accommodate around 20 more diners.

The outside terrace would extend over land owned by Lyme Regis Town Council, and Mr Hix is currently negotiating terms with the authority.

A planning application was submitted to West Dorset District Council last week.

Mr Case, of Touch Wood, who also designed the original building, said the ‘modest’ extension would offer more choice to customers during fine weather.

Speaking about the restaurant’s ‘heritage significance’, he said: “The property is not listed but is within the conservation area and is identified as an important contemporary local building within this context.

“As the designer of the restaurant it is gratifying to receive this modest acknowledgement which serves to further the ambition to integrate this new proposal seamlessly with the existing work.”

He added: “If this latest proposal were to receive permission and be built, perhaps it might lift the rating of the whole restaurant a little up the scale of important local buildings.”

Mr Hix first put in plans for the terrace two years ago but the town council would not make a decision on use of its land until it could resolve a boundary dispute with the freeholders of neighbouring property Cliff Cottage.

The chef had been prepared to pay the council a fee of around £5,000 and increased rent.

In March, Mr Hix asked the council to reopen negotiations and reiterated he would be prepared to pay a lease for the land.

Speaking at the time, Mr Hix said: “It will give us extra seats in the restaurant, which means extra local labour, extra money for our local suppliers, and obviously it will be good for tourism. There are no negatives.”

A renewed rental offer from Mr Hix went before the town council’s Strategy and Policy Committee last Wednesday although no figures have been revealed yet.

Deputy town clerk Simon Ratcliff confirmed that the offer was still under negotiation.

The terrace would be supported by log poles from local woodland, placed in the steep grassy bank below.

Mr Case said the balcony would help soften the appearance of the existing building.

He said: “By lowering the terrace relative to the floor level of the main building, it will mask more effectively this triangular section of bare render and help to integrate the building into the garden landscape and ease the transition from the built environment to the horticultural.”