Falmouth councillors are supporting plans to refurbish the King's Head and convert two floors into flats as the work would secure the future of the town centre pub.

Sky Blue Properties Ltd are behind the applications for planning and listed building consent. The proposals seeks to simplify the layout of the pub onto the ground floor only which would house a bar, restaurant area, kitchen, cellar and toilets. The large L-shaped stairwell to the rear would be removed to create further ground floor space.

Access to the upper floors apartments would be solely from the rear entrance from the side street. Both would have their own separate entrance door and each accommodate five bedrooms for five unrelated residents.

The external appearance of the building would remain unchanged, but would be repaired and redecorated. The gates to the rear access would be replaced and next to the rear gates, where the old fire escape was, a new sheltered recess would be created to provide space for bin storage and recycling.

The design statement accompanying the applications says: "The King's Head pub is in poor condition. The cost of refurbishing a listed building of this size requires considerable time and expense. The refurbishment and bringing back to life this well-known pub should be welcomed by the town as a whole.

"The provision of HMO accommodation in this sustainable town centre location provides income to allow the development to be funded, and relieves pressure on accommodation such as this from other residential areas outside the town centre."

The plans went before Falmouth Town Council's planning committee last week when members agreed to offer no objection to the scheme as it was felt it would be a good use of the iconic building which needs to be brought back to life and is a good location for HMOs, subject to the approval of the conservation officer.

Councillor Alan Jewell said: "It is such an iconic building and the only way it can be made viable and re-open as a pub is if we have these flats. Students are used to noise so I think it's a good use of the building. It will be good to get it back to its former glory days."