A fresh bid is being made to demolish a former village pub and replace it with shops and homes.

%image(14533739, type="article-full", alt="The First and Last pub in Ormesby has been empty for eight years. A proposal is in the hands of planners to knock it down and build two retail units with flats above Picture: Liz Coates")

The First and Last in Ormesby St Margaret shut eight years ago and there have been a string of bids targeting homes for the site.

Permission has already been granted to convert the pub building into a house and add three homes to the plot which sits at the entrance to the village near a busy roundabout.

The new plan, from Yare Housing, involves bulldozing the pub and building two retail units with flats above on its footprint.

Elsewhere on the site there will be two detached houses with separate garages and a terrace of three cottages.

%image(14533741, type="article-full", alt="The latest planning bid seeks to demolish the First and Last pub in Ormesby Picture: Liz Coates")

A previous bid to demolish the pub and replace it with four properties was turned down for character and heritage reasons.

Two people have raised concerns over the new application and the proposed mix of residential and commercial.

One person said all efforts should be made to retain outdoor space in the Covid-19 era - the premises most recently being used by the Yankee Traveller and its Airstream mobile burger takeaway which saw picnic benches spring up in the car park and the old pub painted blue and strung with lights.

Kathryn Wendt, chairman of Ormesby with Scratby Parish Council said it had always been the council’s long-standing wish that the pub building was preserved.

%image(14533742, type="article-full", alt="The First and Last pub in Ormesby could be pulled down under a new attempt to replace it with two retail units with flats above, a terrace of three cottages, and two detached homes with separate garages. Picture: Liz Coates")

Although members had not yet discussed the scheme she had advised everyone to look closely at the plans.

“We have had so many applications for that building, it has gone on and on for years.

“The parish council would certainly not want it demolished.”

The pub closed in 2012.

%image(14533743, type="article-full", alt="Public Houses Aerial view of the " First and Last " Public House at Ormesby St. Margaret near Great Yarmouth Dated 1962 Plate P7303")

It was put forward as a community asset in 2015, but the bid was unsuccessful.

In December last year it was hit by fire, four fire crews rushing to save the derelict building described as “an eyesore.”

Then in February it came up for sale at auction securing a bid for £324,000 which failed to make the reserve.

The following month it made a return to the saleroom, this time with a lower guide price of between £280,000-£300,000 as opposed to £300,000-£350,000 previously.

%image(14533744, type="article-full", alt="The former First and Last pub on the edge of Ormesby. Picture: James Bass")

Comments on the lastest proposal are due by December 8.

To view the plans and have your say click the link here.

%image(14533745, type="article-full", alt="The former First and Last pub on the edge of Ormesby. Picture: James Bass")