The owners of the site of former Bay View Hotel in Port St Mary have applied for a four-year extension to their existing planning approval to demolish it and replace it with apartments.

The Victorian building - which was host to historic events such as the inquest into the Brig Lily disaster in 1852 - last closed its doors as a pub in 2013.

Red Pen Ltd initially submitted its plans (17/00976/B) in 2017, but they were rejected by the planning committee on the grounds that the proposed building would ’not sit comfortably in the streetscene’ and that the pub ’contributed positively to the character of the village’.

Despite objections from residents and the local authority, plans were then approved after appeal by Red Pen in 2018.

No demolition work has yet started, with a deadline of May 2022 for works to begin under the current planning approval - hence the request for an extension.

The company explained how the impact of the pandemic and lockdowns on the island’s construction industry and building costs had meant that it had not been able to secure a contractor for the project.

The three-bedroom flats would each have a kitchen, lounge, bathroom and ensuite bathroom, and on-site parking in either a bay or a garage.

As for the pub as it stands, it was described as being ’poorly maintained’ by previous owners, with major renovations not being merited.