Calls have been made for Sellafield to take over the soon-to-be flattened site of Egremont’s former Red Lion Hotel to help regenerate the town.

Property developer David Cox this week announced that he was shelving plans for a £4.2m hotel development on the site and did not know what its future held.

The news came as Mr Cox revealed that work would begin imminently to demolish the former pub and neighbouring properties after a structural engineer’s report stated the front walls were unsafe.

But the news has been met with concern in the town, with councillors fearing the community could be left with an open space that is of no benefit to residents or businesses.

Now Egremont Town Council chairman Neil Ferguson and deputy chairman Sam Pollen are calling on Sellafield Ltd to take over the site and build offices on it to bring business back to the town.

Councillor Ferguson said: “As Sellafield begins to relocate workers from the site into the local community, I want Egremont to be a major beneficiary of this, and I’m calling on Sellafield to work with the town council to make sure this happens.

“We have to make sure our towns feel the benefit of having Sellafield on their doorstep, and it’s not just Whitehaven or Workington.

“Egremont has suffered from a lack of investment for over 20 years, that is coupled with the continuing austerity from government. As a town council we have to pick up the things that both county and borough councils used to do but our funds have also lowered. It is now time that Sellafield invested and I call again for them to invest in Egremont.

“Most of our shops are empty and Sellafield staff footfall in the town could save the town in many ways. We are trying to work with Sellafield to get them to take over the land and build offices.”