A Loudwater pub that closed down could be demolished and replaced with a three-storey block of flats. 

The old Happy Union pub, on the corner of Boundary Road and Treadaway Hill, has sat empty and boarded up for more than a year. 

It was sold last year, and now plans to turn it into a block of 10 flats have been put forward. 

The plans, put forward by Veinard investments, suggest there will be nine two-bed flats and one one-bed flat in the three-storey block, along with parking and bin stores. 

The current pub building has a one-bed flat on the first floor, but the whole building will be demolished and replaced if these plans are given the green light. 

Applicants say the pub does not have any "uncommon or particularly special historic features" that need to be kept and that the pub has "lacked financial viability for many years". 

They added: "In recent times, the custom was very sparse up until its closure in mid 2020. The buildings have fallen into severe disrepair.

"The loss of the public house and impact of this upon the community has been minimal to the public.

"Sadly, while a handful of regular patrons may have frequented the public house, the community asset had expired and it is understood that prior to closing the pub, the community value had diminished mostly beyond repair.

"Instead, eight public houses within nearby proximity are better situated and of better quality."

According to planning documents, the developers initially sought advice from the council on building a five-storey building with 20 flats in it - but concerns were raised that this would be too big and out of keeping with the rest of the area and would affect light getting to neighbouring homes. 

The new plans have halved the amount of flats proposed, with 11 parking spaces planned, bike stores and bin storage. 

One neighbour, Joshua Matthews, has objected to the plans, saying: "There is already an inadequate amount of parking in the area, no road parking and already not enough residents spaces for the new development at Treadaway Court.

"Bringing another development into the area will worsen the current parking and increase traffic at an already dangerous roundabout."

David Bevan, who also lives close by, commented on the plans, saying he was pleased to see potential development of the site, but raised some concerns about disturbance and parking. 

He said: "Local parking for residents is extremely limited in the areas I would ask the development team to recognise this and use the ample car park on the propose site to store equipment, vans, cars and machinery."

View the plans and have your say at the Buckinghamshire Council planning portal using reference 22/06737/FUL.