Amended plans have been submitted for a unique lineside Hobbit home that could become quite an attraction to passengers on the steam railway.

A previous application (17/00540/B) to demolish an old gatekeeper’s cottage and replace it with something straight off the pages of JRR Tolkien were turned down by planners in August.

Now island-based inventor and entrepreneur Dr John Taylor OBE has submitted a revised plan for Ballawoods Halt, Malew (17/01076/B).

Once again the derelict railwayman’s cottage will be demolished but this time a faithful replica will be built on the opposite side of the line.

And the quirky-looking Hobbit house itself would be sited slightly further away from the line and the road.

The innovative and modern design by architects Penketh Millar would be ’entirely unique in its appearance and construction’, says the application.

This three-bedroom dwelling would feature huge corner stones inspired by Ty Hyll (The Ugly House) at Betws-y-coed in the Snowdonia National Park, and a patinated copper tile roof that gives an architectural nod to Goldenes Dachl (The Golden Roof) in Innsbruck, Austria.

Windows would be ellipsoid in shape with bronze coloured stainless steel spokes.

The lower floor containing the garage and two en-suite bedrooms would be below ground level and hidden from view so that the building appears as single storey from the trackside and the road.

’The building would have a quirky unusual appearance and as a result we feel would draw interest from railway patrons,’ says the applicant.

Planners refused the previous application saying they welcome the intention to create a building of quality of such a unique design - but not at the expense of a building of acknowledged interest.