NEW plans to build a house in the grounds of a disused pub in West Malvern have been sent to Malvern Hills District Council.

The application, by Peter Styles, is to build a three-bedroom house behind the Lamb Inn, West Malvern Road, on part of the former pub's car park.

This latest application follows the approval of two other plans for the site. One, for two semi-detached houses in the pub's garden was approved in December 2012.

The other, to knock down the pub's function room and build two further houses on the land, and to convert the remaining pub building into another house, was approved in August 2013.

A document submitted by planning consultants Boughton Butler, says that the applicant will build all three staged concurrently if the latest application is granted.

Attempts to develop the Lamb site date back several years, after the pub closed its doors.

Residents have been divided about the future of the site, with some saying that the pub should have remained open as an important community resource, and other saying it was the source of noise and disorder. For some years the pub was known as a venue for live rock and folk music,

This week Bill Shearer, chairman of West Malvern Parish Council, said he did not want to comment until the council had discussed it at its next meeting in September.

Previous applications for the pub site had been opposed by the Campaign for Real Ale, but this week CAMRA spokesman Mark Haslam said: "Since the application co convert the main part of the pub was approved, or views is that it's not a pub any longer, and we don't comment on housing applications."