New plans have been submitted to transform a pub which closed last year.

The Albion, in Moor Lane, near the town centre, is believed to have closed in April 2019, with plans to transform the site into flats and retail units submitted in December last year.

However, these plans, which would have included converting the pub into three retail units and 16 flats were withdrawn by the applicant in February of this year.

New plans have been submitted this month to convert and partially demolish the former pub, making two retail units on the ground floor with 16 flats again on the first and second floor.

However, the addition of a "drinking establishment" on the ground floor is a significant change this time around.

The planning agent Michael Ainsworth previously said that the applicant, PH Holdings, had been asked to make some "tweaks" to their original proposal, which were made following planning officers' comments.

Michael Ainsworth was approached for a comment on what changes were made and why this was done for the current plans.

One document, titled "Impact of the Loss of Public House Assessment", may explain the changes.

It states that a report was made at the request of Bolton Planning Department to evaluate the loss of The Albion to the area.

It points out how there are still many pubs open close to The Albion, and why it may have lost trade which eventually lead to its closure.

They believe the closure of the bus depot and more choice meant people were going into the town centre to drink, and that The Albion's closure did not have a negative impact on the area.

Despite this the developers plan to "provide one drinking establishment at ground floor within the former Albion, therefore allowing for the continuation of it’s previous trade to exist."

A decision is expected to be made by the start of August.