A NEW Thai restaurant and takeaway is set to come to Parkstone, replacing an old massage parlour.

Plans have been approved for a change of use from the massage parlour to a takeaway at 387 Ashley Road.

The as-yet unnamed restaurant will bring an ‘explosion of Thai tasty food’, offering a lunchtime buffet service and takeaway services in the evening.

A cover letter from the applicant submitted with the application said the empty premises are ‘now in a run-down, depressed condition’.

“The proposed change of use to takeaway would be beneficial for this area,” a supporting letter said.

“We are wishing to open a Thai Takeaway that will include a buffet servery offering already prepared Thai dishes for lunch and early evening to the local area, for eat in and take back to their place of work or home.

“This will give a choice alongside the pizza and KFC outlets in the local area.

“The premises have been empty for some time and are now a bit of an eye sore, along with other empty units nearby, on the Ashley Road high street.

“We will freshen this up and offer a clean and fresh choice of Asian cuisine.”

The letter continued in saying that the wife of the applicant is Thai and is ‘very knowledgeable about authentic Thai Street Food’.

She has also run a food trailer for local shows and festivals, the letter said.

“Being married for the last 15 years she knows how to offer fusion food to cater of a western taste while still offering an explosion of Thai tasty food,” it said.

“As stated above, the difference for this proposal is that instead of only opening for evening takeaway trade, we will be open for lunch also offering the unique buffet servery so local people can try and see what they like and maybe learn something new about Thai food.”

Alongside the change of use application, plans have also been approved to install an extraction and ventilation system at the premises.

Conditions have been put in place to ensure that the installation of this system is completed before the takeaway and restaurant opens.