A former hospital could become part of the ongoing Carlisle housing boom.

Plans have been put forward to turn the building that was once the Caldew Hospital, on Dalston Road, into 20 townhouses.

The hospital closed unexpectedly in 2014 when it went into liquidation, but reopened just days later under a new name - Doctors Hospital Ltd.

Before that the building, which dates back to the Victorian era, was known as the Abbey Caldew hospital.

But more than two years after it closed, the building could be demolished - and the plot on which it sits given a new lease of life following the application by Dr Javed Ahmed.

A design and access statement put forward by north east-based architects Mario Minchella on behalf of Dr Ahmed states that the townhouses will also include car parking spaces, private gardens and will be divided into three separate blocks.

It says: "The development consists of two blocks of nine, three-bedroom townhouses and one block of two four-bedroom townhouses.

It also adds: "The existing site is used as a private hospital. The building and site space is no longer required for its current use and subsequently a new development opportunity has arisen on this prominent 0.37ha site.

"due to the nation's requirement for housing, this full planning application is for the erection of 20 townhouses."

The document reveals that each townhouse will be a three-storey build with a living room, kitchen and WC on the ground floor, while two bedrooms and a bathroom will be on the first floor.

The second floor will differ between the different house types, with the smaller developments containing one bedroom, en-suite and store while the larger homes will have two bedrooms and a bathroom.

Those rooms on the second floor will also be housed within the roof space and would be fitted with dormer windows and roof lights.