PLANNING chiefs have rejected an application to turn a disused cafe into two homes.

An application relating to one of the units at Roman Quay in High Street, Fordingbridge, has been turned down by New Forest District Council.

The proposal sparked three letters of objection.

A report to councillors said: "The benefits in terms of new housing provision must be weighed against the potential harm.

"The proposal would result in the complete loss of a ground floor commercial unit.

"While the buildings are currently vacant and lie within a less prominent shopping frontage, they are nonetheless within the defined primary shopping frontage.

"What is proposed would unacceptably compromise the vitality and viability of the shopping frontage."