PLANS to convert a historic pub into two houses has been rejected for a fourth time by Barrow Council planning committee.

Plans to convert the Grade-II listed pub The New Inn in Walney into two homes were refused in July in the third attempt to gain planning permission.

The original application for the Biggar Village pub was refused in February because it was not in keeping with the look of the historic building.

Then when it returned to the planning committee in June, the application could not be fully submitted because not all parts of the application form had been submitted in time for the meeting.

A design and access statement said: "This proposal is to divide the property into two dwellings, one taking the entire historical building and the other formed by converting the modern block work extension into a three-bedroom unit.

"The design considerations include providing sympathetic design to recognise the historical nature of the attached building as a barn, and ensuring the construction protects the historic fabric of the listed building where possible."

The proposal includes creating four designated parking spaces to allow two spaces for each house.

The house was built in the current configuration in 1758, opened as a beer house in 1869 and was sold by Dutton's Brewery in 1975, becoming a dwell thereafter.

"The design seeks to provide a simple profile, more reminiscent of a converted agricultural building. This will be achieved on the front elevation by removal of the modern dormers and porch, replacing with simple doors and windows," the design and access statement continued.

"These design considerations seek to have no detrimental impact but some improvement to the distinction between the historical and more modern elements of this listed building."

The application was refused due to the application 'not fully addressing the significance of the building' and not providing 'clear evidence to justify the proposals in terms of public benefit'.

The planning committee also believed they have not secured an optimum viable use of the building and 'the character the alterations to the building are considered to be incongruous and overly dominant'.