A DEVELOPMENT group have revealed they plan to submit a bid to try and buy a derelict Ulverston brewery.

Homes For Ulverston, a group of five Ulverstonians wanting to redevelop derelict sites, said they will create 37 new homes if their bid to purchase the former Hartley’s/Robinson’s brewery is successful.

Many of the houses will be sold or rented at lower cost than market value, giving the chance for young people to step onto the property ladder.

The overall cost of the project is unclear because the conditions of the buildings are unknown.

South Lakeland District Council identified a need for 153 affordable homes per year between 2016 and 2036.

Valerie Holden, a member of Homes of Ulverston, said: “I hope these plans are met with open arms because we believe the plan is very useful. We are hoping we can use cross subsidy techniques so it can help people purchase a property or possibly rent in a nice central part of town.

“Our plans are going public so we can ask people to support us and to tell us they are behind us.”

The group wants to conserve what they can of the original buildings built in 1700s and later.

Bidders have not been able to access the site to check the state of structure in Brewery Street.

Assuming that buildings can be salvaged, Homes for Ulverston have put a plan together to save them.

Valerie said: “We wish to conserve as much as we can of the brewery to keep that part of Ulverston as historic as possible.

“People like well-restored areas and this would double Ulverston’s heritage area. People love it.”

The project aims to create affordable mews style houses with shared access to a large courtyard.

There will be small to medium sized cottages on both Brewery Street and Hart Street, with a large penthouse flat in the old brewing tower.

The Bird in Hand pub will be kept as is, but it will be restored and turned into a family home. The cottages on Brewery street will all be renovated and used as housing.