NEW life could be breathed into a site which housed a pub in Hereford for more than a century.

Plans have been submitted to Herefordshire Council for permission to build a pub to replace the former Sportsman public house on Widemarsh Common.

First known as the Bull’s Head, the pub was established on the site in the 18th century and was extended in 1929.

Its name was changed to The Sportsman in the early 1990s, reflecting its relationship with the nearby Lads Club.

The building was completely destroyed by fire in 2008 and was later targeted by arsonists twice in the space of a month in 2010.

It was then demolished in 2011, leaving the brownfield site as it exists today.

In a design and access statement submitted to the council, the applicant states that the application site covers approximately 0.28 hectares (0.7 acres).

"The outline application is for a building similar in use, scale, layout and materiality to the former Sportsman Public House," it states.

"With the exception of access, all matters are to be reserved."