A GRADE II-listed former pub in the Forest could soon be turned into holiday lets and a commercial unit.

The Kings Head, located on Blakeney High Street, hasn’t traded as a pub since 2014, and developers are now proposing to regenerate the building by converting part of it into two holiday lets and one commercial unit, to be kept as either a pub, cafe or restaurant.

The proposals include plans to convert around 915 square feet of the ground floor into holiday accommodation, while around 1,400 square feet would be used for commercial purposes.

Architects working on the plans say they include several improvements to the exterior of the building, such as the removal of the single storey flat roof covering along the front of the building, with the window and door featuring hipped roofs instead.

The proposals also feature the reinstatement of a window that had been previously blocked up, and the removal of a protruding section of wall to the front.

A new window is also proposed in the east side of the building along with three new roof lights above the flat roofed extension on the east of the building.

An application for planning permission and listed building consent was submitted back in May.

Developers say The Kings Head, which opened in the 18th century, was once "a thriving business" and had just nine owners between 1851 and 2007.

But since then, it has opened and closed on a number of occasions, with the building going through six different businesses in 12 years.

A report on the scheme says because of the number of business changes, it can be "validly assumed" that the size of premises, coupled with rent rates, staffing and running costs, makes the building "unviable in the modern day".

Some 21 local residents have objected to the proposals due to concerns over the loss of a community facility, a lack of parking, road safety and a design which is not sympathetic to the listed building. Many of the objectors say that despite their concerns they welcome the regeneration of the building, and one resident has written in support of the scheme.

Council officers have recommended approving the scheme, and councillors will decide the fate of the building at a meeting next Tuesday (November 9).