Plans to reopen a boarded up pub, which shut four years ago, have been drawn up – along with proposals to build houses next door.

Private company Llamedos Properties has submitted the proposals to Dartford council to partially redevelop The Ship, in Darenth.

The boozer, in Green Street Green Road, shut in August 2019 and has been empty ever since.

It had a main bar area which could seat up to 30 people and additional floorspace which used to be a rear bar, staff room and restaurant.

The first floor had a kitchen, lounge, double bedroom, office and bathroom, and there were two double bedrooms in the roof space.

The site also had a basement which was used as storage, and seven outbuildings.

Llamedos Properties has now submitted plans to redevelop the site but says it will keep the ground floor of the building as a public house, if approved.

It also wants to demolish the two extensions built on the side and rear of the former pub and all of the outbuildings to make way for housing.

It hopes to convert the upper floor into two one-bedroom flats and build two five-bed houses and one three-bed bungalow, all with basement space.

Two car parking spaces for each property, one for each flat with another for visitors and two for the pub, have also been added into the plans.

According to the planning documents, the applicant believes the development is "entirely acceptable given the retention of the community building and its re-use at the ground floor."

It added: "It also proposes a better use of the upper floors and offers a more viable alternative...by comparison to the re-use of the vast poorly designed extensions and outbuildings that currently exist.

"It is considered that the benefits of partially re-developing this site vastly outweigh the dis-benefits, of which the applicant says there are none."

The Dartford-based company has applied for "an infill" development as it hopes to make better use of the land.

If approved, it intends to reopen the pub on the ground floor with a new terrace area to serve drinks, light snacks and sandwiches.

It will also allow the space to be hired out to the community but not for entertainment purposes.

A decision is expected on the planning application by Tuesday, March 28.