A ROYAL British Legion club could be partially demolished to make way for housing.

The veterans’ hub in Towneley Road, Longridge, could be reduced in size and see its bowling pavillion relocated if plans are approved by Ribble Valley Borough Council.

Club bosses said they needed to sell off part of the site in order to modernise the rest of the building.

Earlier this year, proposals to demolish a single-storey gable extension and erect five houses were refused on the grounds that they would cause ‘detriment to the visual amenity and character of Longridge Conservation Area’.

The revised submission would see the club reduced from 472 square metres to 326 square metres.

In a planning statement, the RBL said: “The club needs an input of funds to be able to update the interior of the building and carry out repairs. These are essential for the club to be able to continue.

“The proposal is to reduce the size of the club facilities in order to make it more financially viable and to release some of the club’s financial capital by selling off part of the site to enable it to reinvest in the remaining part of the site.”

Four two-bedroom houses will replace the club’s current seven space car park if the application is successful.

The statement addedd: “Rather than harming the character of the conservation area the development would in fact improve the appearance of and complement the character of the conservation area.

“This will be done by redeveloping part of a site which is out of character with and detracts from conservation area and replacing it with buildings which wholly compliment the character of the conservation area.”

Coun Stuart Carefoot, who represents the Conservatives in Derby and Thornley, said: “At the moment I’m not for or against it as long as it is right development. The club is under-used at the moment and I think this is the third application they have put in.

“The Legion is doing its best to keep going and if this is what it takes then so be it.”