A CIVIC group has outlined serious concerns surrounding a proposal to convert a former Leominster pub into homes.

Smy Leisure Ltd is seeking permission to convert the Hop Pole Inn on Bridge Street – which has recently been Grade: II listed – into three self contained residential units.

The property was 'spot listed' because it was discovered to be a 15th century open hall house, with a classic ‘smoke blackened roof’ to demonstrate its past use.

Leominster Civic Society says it is 'very worried' about the potential damage and alterations to the building which they say hasn’t been fully investigated yet.

Should permission for the conversion be approved, the civic group says it would result in the loss of the pub as a social amenity in the north of Leominster – once a famous Cider House, and recently the only pub to serve the large area north of the Kenwater.

In a statement, the group said: "This is a key junction on the way in to Leominster and the society feels that the setting of the Hop Pole Inn will be irretrievably lost if permission is given to build the houses in the car park area and alter the buildings to the south.

"At the moment, before the planned changes, it would be possible to re-create a local pub in a historic building on a prominent corner of Leominster which might be organised to include some accommodation for tourists."

Leominster Town Council is also objecting to the application.