THE owner of a 200-year-old public house has revealed his intention to convert the Grade II listed building into accommodation.

Objections have already been raised over plans to turn the former Lord Raglan pub in Nangreaves into four apartments, and to develop six terraced houses at its associated car park.

Owner Terry Leyden has applied for listed building consent to convert the pub, which lies in the Mount Pleasant Conservation Area, and to change its use.

The applicant also seeks to demolish some of the "later addition rear extensions", which lie within the curtilage of the listed building. This demolition, according to the application, would be "to allow for vehicular access and more efficient site layout and amenity space".

Proposed works would also involve alterations to the building's interior and exterior, including stripping out of internal walls, ceilings or floor finishes.

The Lord Raglan, known locally as 'The Rag', has stood empty since October 2017 when it closed after landlord, Mr Leyden, retired.

Members of the Raglan Community Hub, whose offer to purchase the pub was previously rejected, held a meeting last night to discuss their next move.

Geoff Kirkman, a regular at the pub for more than 50 years, and a member of the Hub's management group, said: "I think it would be an eyesore to have these townhouses in a row on a car park in this beautiful village of stone-built properties.

"We are urging people to have their say on these plans by submitting their comments to the council.

"The Lord Raglan is a destination pub. I have enjoyed some really good events there; they used to organise trips to the races and fun runs. It was a venue for village meetings and councillor surgeries. It was a welcoming establishment.

"If it goes, there is not a lot else left. It is a venue that lots of people will miss."

Prior to the pub closure a group of residents banded together to try and rescue the premises — which has been described as "the heart of the community".

In December 2017, Bury Council listed the building as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), which which meant that the community had to be given the opportunity to buy the site prior to any sale. Notice of these intentions was given to Raglan Community Hub Limited, who nominated the pub as an ACV, in July 2018.

The Hub put forward a bid of £250,000 but it was turned down. The owners had marketed the Lord Raglan at £485,000.

The pub owners appealed the ACV twice but it was overturned by Bury Council.

If the owners fail to sell the pub prior to January 22, 2020, they will have to give the community another chance to purchase it.

Adrian Taberner, a member of the Hub who moved to Nangreaves 13 years ago, said: "One of the main reasons we moved to the village was because it had a pub. It was the hub of the community. There is nothing else without it.

"It is where people met to have a drink but it was more than that; it was a place to socialise, to attend activities, to hold meetings. Now we have nowhere to go. It is awful, absolutely dreadful. This is affecting future generations."

The Bury Times has contacted the owner.

Bury Council has written to 97 addresses notifying them of the plans and site notices are being installed in the local vicinity.

The deadline for submissions to the council is September 26.

To view the plans, search application 64594 at https://planning.bury.gov.uk/online-applications/.