A pub that closed three years ago could be turned into flats.

The Montpelier Inn, in Montpelier Place, Brighton, shut in 2020 after a mass brawl and stabbing.

Since then, applications to turn the listed pub into flats have been rejected by Brighton and Hove City Council, who said in 2022 that there was "insufficient information" to justify why the pub could not be sold on to new owners and reopened.

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However, an applicant who bought the building in 2021 is now proposing to turn the pub into five flats and maisonettes after marketing the watering hole for over two years with no success.

According to the new plans, the proposed flats would preserve the building's appearance and character.

However, there would be no parking or cycling facilities for these new flats and their residents.

Lewis and Co Planning SE Ltd said, on behalf of the applicant, that there is "no demand for a pub in this location" anymore and that there was a "strong level of public support" for the venue to be turned into "much needed" housing.

As the pub was previously a sports bar, Lewis and Co Planning also argued that it was not a "loss" to the community as it did not previously meet community needs when it was open.

They wrote: "For the Montpelier Inn it is very clear that the pub did not in any way meet local community needs.

"The pub was primarily a sports-focused bar aimed at a wider population, and activities at the pub led to frequent bouts of antisocial behaviour that culminated in a  mass brawl and the stabbing of a victim in late 2020."

They also said that the site no longer being a pub would "not result in the loss of a community facility", and that there are a number of other pubs in the area, including The Windmill and The Hampton, both in Upper North Street.

A final decision on whether to grant planning permission is set to be made by April 26.