Plans have been lodged to turn a former granary next to Cockermouth's redundant youth hostel into a house.

Alan Armstrong and Beverley McGuirk have applied to Allerdale council to convert the former barn next to Double Mills House at the end of Fern Bank into a two-bedroom house.

It is currently used as storage for the house.

An existing garage would be replaced with a single-storey extension under the plan.

The building is currently used as storage for Double Mills House.

Allerdale council is consulting on the plans until October 5.

Meanwhile, the future of the former youth hostel at the site, which was originally the mill, is set to be discussed by Cockermouth Town Council on Thursday.

The Grade II listed, three-storey building has been empty since the YHA ended its lease in November due to low occupancy rates.

It had been a youth hostel for more than 80 years.

Cockermouth Town Council, which owns the former youth hostel, put it up for sale, inviting offers in excess of £200,000, but it remained unsold as only lower bids were made.

Town clerk Sheila Brown said the building would be discussed at the council's next meeting on Thursday.

Options that could be considered include applying for planning permission to convert the former hostel to residential use, and the possibility of making some improvements in the building.