DEVELOPERS are hoping it will be third time lucky after making another bid to refurbish the site of a former Unsworth pub.

Bosses from Bury-based firm Cobe Consulting have asked Bury Council if they can knock down the pub in Parr Lane, and replace it with a ground-floor retail unit and a first-floor office.

It is understood the retail unit would be occupied by the Co-op if permission is granted.

The company withdrew two previous applications after the authority and neighbouring businesses and residents expressed concern about road safety, parking and the height of the proposed building.

Unlike the two previous proposals, the new plans do not contain apartments. Twenty-three parking places would serve the site. The report submitted to the council reads: “In order to overcome the highway safety concerns it was necessary to completely redesign the scheme. Relocating the proposed position of the development to the rear of the site enables the car parking to be reorganised to provide more functional parking.”

It adds: “The original three and two-storey proposals have now changed completely to a much lower building proposal with the majority of the scheme now only a single-storey height.”

Some neighbouring business owners are concerned that the opening of a minimarket could harm their trade. The council’s planning committee can only take on board planning views. Business competition is not one of them.

When the first application was submitted in October, 110 people wrote to the council to object and more than 50 people attended a public meeting on the issue in December. Others set up a Facebook group called Say NO to the Parr Lane Superstore!

In a posting on the group on Tuesday, a spokesman for the group said: “A leaflet will be coming round explaining more in detail about the plans.

“They have changed many things from the last time they submitted, including offices and not flats above. However, there is still plenty to object about.”

People can write to the council with their views on the application by May 3. A decision is expected by June 6.