A FORMER pub and hotel dating back more than 120 years may be converted into retail units and residential flats.

Plans to change The Victory pub in Chorley Old Road into a shopping unit, 12 apartments and a restaurant or café have been submitted.

The plans propose creating a combination of one and two-bedroom flats on the first and second floors of the building and two retail units on the ground floor.

The proposal involves an extension to the rear of the three-storey property allowing for additional flats to be built.

The new flats will also be incorporated into the old structure of the building.

If plans are approved, the main entrance and the bay window would remain intact, but other parts of the facade would be replaced with a more modern style for the retail units.

The proposed alterations will be constructed using redbrick walling and natural grey slate roofing.

Cllr Akhtar Zaman, who represents the Halliwell ward, welcomed the news that the boarded-up building would be used again.

He said: “Any proposal that brings back any building into use is very good, especially on Chorley Old Road.

“A boarded-up building doesn’t reflect very well on the area.

“It provides residential accommodation which is also welcome because that is needed in our ward and in Bolton.”

He was also happy that some of the building’s history and heritage would be preserved.

The proposed scheme provides nine parking spaces shared by the two retail units.

An existing car park next to the site will be used to meet additional parking requirements.

According the planning application, the residential area where the site is located is currently “underutilised” with good transport links which will ease the need for additional parking created by the new residential units.

Cllr Zaman added: “I don’t think parking is a big problem around there. But I’m sure planners will look at parking provision.

“Chorley Old Road is very busy because it is one of the main routes into town but I suppose that is what we will get in an area like that.”

The pub, which has been closed since January, was sold two months ago and a planning application to make alterations to the building was submitted in October.

The oldest record of The Victory Hotel dates back to 1882 and alterations were made to the building between 1890 and 1907 when it was owned by John Haslam and Co of Halliwell Cotton Works.

15 years ago, The Bolton News reported that 24 large stained-glass panels and a huge mosaic commemorating the life of Lord Nelson were found while the building was being renovated.

It was revealed that the the panels were covered when the pub was refurbished in the late 1960s because they were seen as being old-fashioned.