Plans to transform a prominent hotel have been mysteriously pulled.

There had been some concerns surrounding the planned conversion of the Ellenbank hotel in Maryport into flats and to surround it with eight detached houses.

The proposals were working their way through the planning process with Allerdale council but have now been withdrawn without explanation.

Question marks now remain over what the future holds for the building.

The controversial plans, which would see the historic building converted into 16 flats, had sparked opposition from those living nearby.

Ron and Val Thomas, of Lonsdale Terrace in Crosby Villa called it "totally inappropriate" to build eight three-storey homes in the rural setting and a council officer had serious concerns about the highways plans and was pressing for them to be thrown out.

The nearby parish council at Crosscanonby also feared the project would set a precedent for housing to expand outside of village boundaries.

Parish clerk Christine Freeland added that councillors were disappointed there weren't any affordable homes included in the plans.

But the applicants said if affordable homes were included, it would have a financial impact on the development, meaning more houses would need to be built to support the transformation of the hotel.

Mrs Freeland also had fears the new homes would attract families with children but no play facilities would be facilitated.

"This leads on to the fact that the site is directly next to the A596, an extremely busy 60mph road," she added.

"Children could easily stray on to the road after a ball as the green area to the front of the site is the only open site for them to play."

Gavin Murray, assistant development manager officer for the county council's highway's team, was worried as the plans did not include a speed survey, a footway along the front of the site, or any improvement to the junction.

He said: "We do not believe a typically densely packed area of modern housing belongs on this far-flung extremity of Maryport.

"It does make use of what could be a redundant building, but it would still remain isolated."

An official letter from the planners working on the owners' - the Mitchell family's - behalf was sent to the council requesting the plans be withdrawn.

Nobody from the company, Penrith-based Planning Branch Ltd, could give any more information and Mr and Mrs Mitchell were unavailable for comment.