PLANS have been submitted to turn a former public house and hotel into housing.

The Royal Oak on Nursery Road in Beckermet is to be converted into two houses if an application lodged with Cumberland Council is given the go-ahead.

The plans have been submitted by Joe Richards, who took over the pub in 2021 after it had been closed for two years. It was then reopened with a village shop following a refurbishment.

A plea was put out earlier this year for an entrepreneur to take on the pub and restaurant by a businessman from Manchester who was hoping to take over the running of the hotel side of the premises – but these plans look to have now been shelved.

The application which was submitted last week says the houses would ‘enhance the housing choice within Beckermet and therefore contribute towards the vitality of the town’.

“The proposed development has been carefully designed to minimise the impact of the development upon the existing neighbouring residential properties.

“It is considered that the proposed conversion of the building to two dwellings would not have a detrimental visual impact on the locality or threaten or detract from the distinctive characteristics of the area.”

The houses would have at least four bedrooms each and share three car parking spaces.