Former Northampton pub to be demolished and replaced with new homes

The application would see the former Ironstone pub, in Hunsbury Hill Road, which was previously the Rose and Claret, demolished and replaced with a new three-storey building containing 11 apartments.

Although there is a covenant on the building stating it should remain a pub, the owners are seeking planning permission in the hope of persuading the borough council to revoke the covenant.

Their optimism is based on the fact the building served its last customer about seven years ago no brewery has stepped forward to reopen it.

Ward councillor Brian Oldham (Con, West Hunsbury), who is also the chair of the Guildhall's planning committee, said he was in favour of something positive on the site.

He said: "I'm really encouraged by it. It's been derelict for a few years now.

"It wants restoring to some sort of use. If the officers would recommend it for approval, I would support that."

Built in the 1980's the building has only ever been a pub and has been known as the Viking, the Rose and Claret, and the Ironstone.

Punch Taverns were the most recent operators but they sold the £41,000 a month lease to Tesco when the pub closed.

The building is now owned by the current applicants, who have tried unsuccessfully to market it as a potential pub before changing tack.

Documents submitted to the council on behalf of the owners state: "The proposed development would... contribute towards the housing supply with associated social and economic benefit.

"The site falls under the local centre under the local plan, and is a community facility. Whilst [planning policy] seeks to safeguard against unjustified loss of local valued community facility, the local consensus is that the existing public house is not valued as a community facility and has become an eyesore to local residents."

Councillors will make a decision on the application in the next few months.