THE boss of Darwen metal fabrication firm WEC has lodged plans to demolish a 200-year-old pub and turn it into his home.

Steve Hartley plans to knock down Old Rosins Inn in Treacle Row and build a house on the site – complete with helipad.

Some nearby residents are unhappy with the proposal.

Leslie Johnson, 59, of Chapel House, Pickup Bank, says he does not want to see the old building demolished.

He said: “We moved here because it’s a rural village with a local pub. We worked all our lives to achieve that.

“Then the pub closed and we waited for it to reopen but it never did. It is a local landmark. It’s been there for about 200 years and is part of the fabric of the area. I’ll be very sad when I look out of my window and see bulldozers rolling in.

“And I don’t believe the plans are in keeping with the local area. Round here it’s all farms and buildings with the stone cottage effect.”

Mr Johnson was also concerned about the noise generated by helicopters.

He said: “Mr Harley has a helipad at his current home in Hoddlesden and we can hear it half-a-mile away.”

Mr Johnson added that he had nothing personally against Steve Hartley.

He said: “I know he has done a lot for the town, so if the pub can’t be kept then I guess there is no better person than Mr Hartley.”

Mr Hartley said there was little option at Rosins as nobody seemed to want the building.

He said: “What do you do with a pub nobody wants?

People don’t want this type of recreation any more, so you’re just left with an old, delapidated building on a hill.

“We bought Rosins for £1million as an investment and we haven’t been able to do anything with it.

“I have offered to show Mr Johnson the accounts but he hasn’t responded.

“With regards to the helicopter, I have lived 500 yards from Rosins and my helicopter has used the same flight path for 12 years and nobody has ever complained.

“I went round to tell people about my plans and most people were happy that I was doing something about it.

“One lady who owned a farm even said she liked the helicopter as it conditioned the horses to be able to deal with the noise.”