Major concerns have been raised about the transformation of a rural Maryport hotel.

The Mitchell family own the Ellenbank Hotel and want to convert the building into 16 flats and build eight detached houses in the grounds to support the development.

A planning application is currently sitting with Allerdale council but it has sparked opposition.

Crosscanonby Parish Council fears the project would set a precedent for housing to expand outside of village boundaries, saying the application is seen as overdevelopment of the site.

Council clerk Christine Freeland said 24 new homes would no doubt attract families with children – but no play facilities would be provided.

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

"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."

She added that councillors were disappointed that there aren't any affordable homes included in the plans.

But the planning consultant firm which submitted plans on behalf of the owners, said affordable homes are not included as if they were, it would have a financial impact on the development, meaning more houses would need to be built to support the transformation of the hotel.

The county council's highways department has also raised a number of serious concerns.

Gavin Murray, assistant development manager officer, is pressing for plans to be thrown out.

Mr Murray has worries as the plans do not include a speed survey, a footway along the front of the site, or any improvement to the junction.

He added: "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."

Two objections were received from people living nearby, including Ron and Val Thomas, of Lonsdale Terrace in Crosby Villa, who said it was "totally inappropriate" to build the houses in a rural setting.

The Mitchell family, who have had Ellenbank since the 1980s, were unavailable for comment.