Two historic buildings could be set for demolition by nuclear chiefs.

Newton Manor in Gosforth and Seascale Mill, both in the vicinity of Sellafield and owned by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, have been the subject of demolition applications by their owners.

Concern has now been raised in the local community about the plans - particularly relating to Newton Manor - by those fearing the loss of an "historically important" building.

Both buildings were transferred to the NDA when it inherited the Sellafield site and some surrounding land and buildings from BNFL.

The NDA, which has applied to Copeland Council for the demolition, says that no final decisions have been taken and the community will be consulted before they are.

Newton Manor was built in the 1700s and was latterly the family home of Royal Navy veteran Commander Falcon Stewart. It has been vacant for decades and has fallen into disrepair.

Gosforth Parish Council has objected to its demolition. It says: "This building is historically important to the parish and the way it has been left to deteriorate is extremely disappointing.

"There has been no consultation with the local community who feel a very real sense of loss at the proposal. We feel the move would be contrary to the local plan which seeks to safeguard historical assets."

Seascale Mill was built in the early 1800s and was the only one in the village. Used to crush local grain for animal feed, it was unique, says parish council chair David Moore, because it had to be used in a backwards motion due to the uneven level of the ground.

Coun Moore estimated it had been out of use for "the last 60 or 70 years". He added: "The parish council will be meeting to take a view on the demolition plans, but I will be questioning what benefits there are to knocking it down. It is doing no harm."

Brian Hough, of the NDA, said: "The NDA has undertaken a UK-wide review of its property holdings from a health and safety perspective, and a number of concerns have resulted.

"They related to properties that are not central to our clean-up and decommissioning mission, and we now need to consider the way forward for them in more detail taking account of our overarching commitment to safety and our responsibilities to the taxpayer and local communities. Options could include further investment or demolition.

"Newton Manor is one such property. We remain keen to engage with stakeholders who have views before any final decisions are made."