Plans to rebuild home destroyed in gas explosion

Demolition work was carried out earlier this year

A house which was gutted after a gas explosion could be partially knocked down and rebuilt under new plans.

Three terraced homes, on Hugh Street in Bransty, Whitehaven, were damaged on New Year's Eve, leaving three people seriously injured and a number of families were forced to move out.

Planning documents submitted to Cumberland Council requested that 28 Hugh Street, the centre of the blast, could be demolished and rebuilt to "enable the applicant to move back".

The plans said the works would be in keeping with the design of the street after the "catastrophic explosion".

The report said the proposals would "reflect the character and appearance of the locality and environment", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Work to partially demolish both 27 and 28 Hugh Street was carried out shortly afterwards to ensure public safety.

Plans to rebuild 27 were submitted to the council last month.

"The proposed works have been designed to reflect the existing elevations to both front and rear of Hugh Street and in keeping with the built format of the area in general," the documents said.

Three homes were damaged in the explosion on New Year's Eve