A SEAFOOD restaurant chain has plans to open on Poole Quay.

Rockfish, which has a number of restaurants on the south coast, has an interest in the Purbeck Pottery building.

The gift shop is still open and no contracts have been signed or money exchanged.

The restaurant group, which was founded and is run by well-known seafood chef Mitch Tonks, has submitted proposals to Poole council.

The planning application states that the building would be fully refurbished as part of a £1.75m investment, although no major changes to the façade are proposed as it is situated in the Town Centre Conservation Area.

A large, open-plan dining area with a small bar is proposed, with the kitchens and toilets located to the back of the building.

A staircase for access to mezzanine level seating is also proposed.

In a design and access statement submitted as part of its planning application, Rockfish said: “Consideration has been made throughout the scheme to have minimal impact on the surrounding conservation area while providing a place for locals and tourists to enjoy fresh fish alongside the quay front.”

According to its statement, Rockfish has “strong ethical values using only sustainable seafood”.

All its restaurants are “plastic free” and “palm oil free”.

“We believe that Poole quay is a perfect location for us and we would fit well into the area and community, providing a high quality destination restaurant for families to enjoy the local seafood,” the statement adds.

“We will fully refurbish the building and create a fabulous interior for people to enjoy seafood in, our investment would be £1.75m into the project. We hope you will be able to see our vision for what we think is an exciting project for Rockfish and Poole.”

Rockfish also has restaurants in Plymouth, Exmouth, Dartmouth, Exeter, Torquay, and Brixham.