Plans have been submitted to Kingston Council to redevelop a pub and pay and display car park in New Malden.

The proposals involve restoring The Fountain in Malden Road as well as the erection of a four to five storey building and a three to four storey building incorporating 43 one to three-bedroom flats.

They also include new shop/restaurant/café space on the ground floor.

Andy Riley, senior associate director at agent PRC Architecture and Planning, wrote in the application: “We believe [this] is of the highest standard of design that maximises the potential of this highly sustainable location and underused brownfield site.”

Submitted by agent PRC Architecture and Planning on behalf applicant Gracilis, the plans state the car park would be reduced from 39 spaces currently down to 26 while the pub would be cut nearly in half, though there would be 124 square metres of retail space.

The pub, originally named Norbiton Park Hotel, changed its name to The Fountain in 1929 to match the water fountain in the middle of the nearby roundabout.

In its application, PRC wrote: “The scheme will restore the original late-nineteenth century building which makes a positive contribution to the townscape. The later twentieth century additions will be demolished as they add nothing of merit to the original building or the townscape.”

The application was submitted at the end of last month following two pre-application discussions with Kingston Council and a public exhibition at the Malden Centre in November.

At the exhibition, 75 per cent of people responding said they wanted to see the pub restored compared to 17 per cent who didn’t. However, just 23 per cent supported the idea of new homes compared to 64 per cent who didn’t.

Among the concerns raised at the exhibition was the impact on New Malden Farmers’ Market, which has operated from the car park for five years.

In November, a petition was set up seeking assurances from Kingston Council that the 18-stall market would have a new home.