A DISUSED Weymouth pub could be converted into homes.

The Brownlow in the Park District, which is more than 100 years old, stands on the corner of Ranelagh Road and Brownlow Street near the railway station.

It has been empty and boarded up since it closed down two years ago.

Now a plan has been submitted to Weymouth and Portland Borough Council by the building’s owners Anthony and Josephine Hamm to convert the premises into three two-bedroom houses.

Rear single-storey extensions would be removed to allow the conversion. Three garages rented out separately and a storage area at the rear are not part of the application.

Planning agent Nigel Trent says in a statement to the council on behalf of the applicant that a new buyer had been sought for The Brownlow when it closed but it was found to have ‘no commercial future as a pub’.

He adds: “The building has been vacant for approximately two years. Conversion to three houses will help to ensure a long-term use for the building and retain this corner building.

“The proposal will not have a serious detrimental impact on the privacy and amenity of neighbouring properties.”

Park District resident and member of the local community forum Dave Burchill fears the building will only be vandalised if it remains empty.

He added: “We have held talks at the forum with the chap who bought it and he assured us he would let us know the planning details.

“It’s sad to see another public amenity lost but we were under no illusions it was going to open again as a pub.”

Spokesman for the West Dorset branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) Michel Hooper-Immins grew up in the Park District and remembers The Brownlow as a ‘wonderful pub, and the social centre of the district’.

He added: “It’s terribly sad that it closed because it was a real ‘estate’ pub.

“The economics of people going to the pub has changed considerably.

“The added tax on products means it’s an expensive business going to the pub.

“Having said that CAMRA regrets any move to turn this pub into housing and would like to see it reopen as a pub.”