Business is buoyant for a company in Kings Langley which sells and installs swimming pools and garden spas, even though a planning application has been made to convert their premises into new homes.

The planning application to turn Chiswell Pools in Hempstead Road into new flats has left many people speculating about the welfare and future of the business.

The plan put before Dacorum Borough Council on Tuesday is to demolish and remove the existing commercial buildings from the land and replace them with nine new flats.

But since the application was made public, many people have "jumped to the conclusion" the business is closing down. According to Ian Moore, director of the company, this is not the case.

Mr Moore said: "We've had people drop in, many who are customers, who have seen the application, wanting to know what's going on. Some people have immediately jumped to the conclusion, 'what's happening there?', 'have you got yourself a new job yet?', but that's not the case."

Mr Moore explained the business has a three year contract with the owners of the building, who started the business decades ago, and after the three years, or during that time, Chiswell Pools will find a new place and set up there.

"It's a good opportunity for us," he said.

"We're an established business, it's been here so long, and a lot of people know about us.

"All they've done is put the application in to use this year's rules, because in April they all change. They'll then have three years to sell the premises, and then someone will flatten it and build something here - whether it's what's in the planning application or whether it's changing it all together.

"But we'll be thinking ahead and when the three years is due to come up we'll be looking for the right place. It will be somewhere local, so Chiswell will still be around, but it's just for us to build the company."

Questions about Chiswell Pool's future have prompted the company to put up a sign outside saying they are under new management from February 1, just to let people know they are not going anywhere.

Mr Moore added: "We're going up rather than down. It's a chance to give us a new lease of life here, and make changed we think we want to change."