The Bay View Hotel in Port St Mary could be demolished and three three-bedroom flats built in its place.

Red Pen Limited, of Church Road, Port St Mary, has applied (17/00976/B) to government planners for the development, saying it would give the building a ’new lease of life’.

In the design statement submitted as part of the bid it explains that a full condition has not been carried out.

But it says a visual inspection of the property by Samson Designs had shown it has ’not been properly maintained for many years and is severely affected by damp’.

And it says that works to renovate or convert the building for residential use ’would be extensive and costly’.

It adds: ’While the high cost of renovation work does not automatically justify the demolition of the building, this must be taken into consideration along with any architectural merit of the building.

’Many Victorian guest houses and hotels along Port Erin promenade, which arguably had more architectural merit, have been demolished and replaced with new residential developments without destroying the overall character of the promenade.’

The design statement says the Bay View Hotel had ’struggled to be financially viable as a public house and hotel’, adding: ’ The business has been closed for a couple of years prior to being purchased by the current owner, the applicant, in 2015.’

The flats would be on the upper floors and feature a balcony off the living room. Residents would have access to a communal garden - formerly the beer garden on the opposite side of Bay View Road.

The main access would be from the rear of the property, on The Lhargan. Two parking spaces would be provided for one flat in a parking area on the opposite side of The Lhargan. The other two flats would have one off-road parking space and a garage each.