The first floor of a High Wycombe restaurant could be turned into more flats after ASK Italian moved out.

The Italian chain moved out of 17 High Street a couple of months ago after announcing to customers that it would not be reopening because the Covid-19 crisis had "hit the restaurant sector hard".

Since then, the restaurant area of the Grade II listed building has remained empty, but new plans put forward suggest that part of the first floor could be turned into two flats.

The flats would each have one bedroom and open-plan living and kitchen areas and would be accessed at the back of the building.

There are already three flats on the upper levels of the building.

Warrant Investments Ltd, who have put forward the plans, say turning parts of the first floor into more flats will offer a "more attractive layout to potential occupants".

Customer toilets on the first floor will be relocated downstairs and the spiral staircase used to access them removed. Some internal walls will also have to demolished.

They added that it is not yet clear who might replace ASK Italian in the restaurant space, saying: "It is not certain when a new occupier will be found... it is important that the building is utilised as much as possible to ensure that its special character is conserved."

There are no plans for any parking spaces with the flats.

View the full plans by using reference 20/07945/FUL at the planning portal at www.wycombe.gov.uk.