A POPULAR pub in South Lakeland is to be demolished and replaced with new homes despite objections from local residents.

The Lancastrian on Ulverston's Croftlands estate is to be razed to the ground and the site redeveloped after planning approval was granted by South Lakeland District Council's planning committee on Thursday.

Although the pub had already been closed, locals called for it to be refurbished and revived as a 'community hub', saying it was the only place nearby where they could socialise and gather for occasions such as funeral teas, christenings and parties.

David Wood, of West Lakes Construction Ltd, had applied to council to replace the pub with eight new dwellings with three to four bedrooms to be positioned in a row across the length of the site.

Some members of Ulverston Town Council had recommended refusal on the grounds of overdevelopment in the area, with land directly south of the Croftlands estate already being allocated as a site for development.

Cllr Bharath Rajan of Ulverston Town Council, however, was in favour of the development.

He said: "I supported the pub for many years but sadly it has suffered from a lack of use in the last few years and the people in the surrounding area are not keen on supporting it.

"There have been a lot of letters of objection but people are not prepared to their money where their mouth is.

"More houses is all to the good and I am supporting this application."

Councillors voted 12 to one in favour of the development.