AN “eyesore” pub in a Furness village is expected to be demolished and turned into four new houses.

The latest planning application for The Copper Dog at Leece will be discussed next week by South Lakeland District Council’s planning committee. Planning officers have recommended that councillors support the development bid by Alan Grove of Leece Homes Ltd.

The applicants said: “It will bring a vacant and redundant site back into use, replacing a fairly ordinary public house with a residential scheme of high design quality.”

But the designs for the buildings on Hard Knotts Lane have divided opinion among some.

In comment sent to the council, a resident said: “These designs wouldn’t look out of place in Germany or the Low Countries, but not in Leece.”

Another resident said she supported something being done with the pub but objected to the design.

However, others have welcomed something being done to restore the “eyesore” building and praised the look of the new homes.

One said: “The plans by this developer look amazing and I for one would jump at the chance of moving into one of these proposed dwellings.”

Leece Homes plans to demolish the pub, once known as The Queens Arms, and build four detached houses.

SLDC refused a planning application in 2014 for eight houses and another in 2015 for five.

An appeal by the applicants against the latter decision was dismissed by a planning inspector.

A council report said the new scheme was “significantly reduced” in size, scale and number. It stated that the previous tenant “stripped the building” not Leece Homes Ltd, which bought it in 2014.

The applicants added: “Having struggled since 2008 and having been vacant since mid-2013 when it only opened briefly.

The site has not operated in any capacity as a public house for nearly six years.”

There has been no application from the community to have the pub designated as a community asset and Aldingham Parish Council has no objections.

Six people have written to South Lakeland District Council with two in support, two against and two making observations.

The matter will be decided at a meeting on Thursday, February 7.