A fresh application has gone in to transform a listed pub into a house and build another home in its car park.

Submitted by John Kay, the plans, which also include an application for listed building consent, would see the Cross Gaits Inn in Blacko become housing.

The pub has been closed since January 2023, and is a Grade-II listed building and has stood and operated as an inn since 1736, and extended during the 19th century.

A heritage statement submitted as part of the plans said the building has “reached the end of its life as licensed premises” and changing it to a house would “secure its future”.

The statement said: “It is a building of national importance.

“Its significance essentially derives from the intrinsic special architectural and historic interest, which is that of a moorland inn.”

It states modern signage and “piecemeal” extensions would be removed and any repairs would be “like-for-like”, with its internal layout being unchanged.

It also claims the new property planned for the car park would not harm the pub’s status due it being separate and its design being inspired by the Cross Gaits.

The application’s design and access statement states a similar plan for the property, in Beverley Road, was refused last year due to there being “no clear justification for the change of use and loss of a community facility”.

The new plan would see the pub’s ground floor partitioned to create a kitchen, living room, dining room and study, plus a toilet and shower room, with the first floor to have three double bedrooms, a family bathroom, a separate shower room, and walk-in wardrobe.

The new-build on the car park would have an open-plan kitchen, living and dining space on the ground floor, plus a utility, toilet and pantry, with four double bedrooms, two bathrooms and dresser space on the first floor.

It would also have an integrated double garage and a separate outbuilding in the garden.

The house would be designed to mix traditional and modern design, combining stone construction with cladded elevations.

Also included in the plan is returning 179 square metres of hard-surfaced land to grassland with new vegetation also planted.

The plans add: “The development of The Cross Gaits Inn would restore the historical structure to its original character.

“Transforming the vacant public house into a dwelling would subsequently allow adequate maintenance to be kept by the home residents to ensure its prosperity for many more years to come.

“The property has been marketed for use as a pub or alternate community use since November 14, 2023, however, there has been little to no interest in the property given the extensive work that would be required and its location.

“Due to these reasons, the change of use remains the only viable option for the building's continued use otherwise it risks falling into further disrepair.”

Public consultation is open on the plans until Thursday, October 24, and to comment on the plans visit Pendle Council’s planning website.