Plans are under way to transform a former town centre Cockermouth hotel into eight apartments.

Adrian Murray has applied to Allerdale Council for permission to make changes at The Wordsworth Hotel, a listed building in the conservation area.

His proposal is for "the demolition of a building and proposed conversion and alteration to form eight residential units to the upper floors and rear outrigger and retain a commercial unit at ground floor level".

Town mayor Julie Laidlow has welcomed the proposals.

"Clearly no one is wanting to run it as a business and empty town centre properties do not look attractive. It's a good building going to waste so anything that will bring it back to life is a good thing," she said.

"Pubs are struggling and hotels on Main Street have died because of the Premier Inn and Travelodge. It's good that someone is prepared to do something with this."

A heritage statement about the Main Street building claims: "The proposed development would preserve the character and appearance of the Cockermouth Conservation Area.

"It would secure a new use for a building that has been vacant or under-used for a number of years and would again bring activity into the rear courtyard."

It states: "The setting of the adjoining listed buildings would be preserved and the character and appearance of the conservation area would benefit from a slight enhancement gained from the refurbishment and re-use of the courtyard buildings."

The hotel dates from 1811, when it was known as the Apple Tree Inn. It is thought to have been adapted from an earlier building.