A village pub near Oakham could be converted to housing, with three more homes built in its car park.

An application for the change of use and related development for the The Old Plough in Braunston has been submitted to Rutland County Council.

Mr Charles Boote of Staffordshire-based Field Inns wants to create a 4-bed and 3-bed home from the pub and build three 2-bed homes in the car park.

The planning application said the applicant bought the premises in 2000, with it operating to various degrees of success since then.

After a previous leaseholder left, the pub's management was brought back in-house and £200,000 was spent on refurbishment and related improvements.

The application said the pub has not traded profitably for some time and the freehold was put on the market in 2018.

National agents Christie and Co marketed the site and despite price cuts "no sensible offers have been received."

It also failed to sell at auction in December 2019.

The pandemic then forced the pub to close and it remains on the open market. But it and the restaurant traded at a loss prior to lockdown.

The application continued: "Our client. who is now eighty years old, is the principle shareholder, he is therefore faced with the imminent prospect of permanently closing the premises to stem the flow of the losses."

The application said Braunston has a 'shortage' of homes and the planned development had a mix of sizes and styles that would reflect the character of the site and meet local needs.

It concluded: "Finally, there is clear undisputed evidence that the existing use has been extensively marketed by national agents over a lengthy period and has also been put to an auction.

"With the present pandemic there is no chance of the public house re-opening. However, this will not leave Braunston without a public house as the 'Blue Ball' public house will remain to serve the local community.

"Consequently, it should be considered that the proposed development of five dwellings on this site signifies sustainable development, and there are no material considerations which would suggest otherwise.

"As such the application should benefit from the presumption in favour of sustainable development."

Rutland Council has yet to determine the application.