Plans to transform the site of a former pub where a jealous publican killed his girlfriend before dumping her body in a freezer have been welcomed.

An application is being considered by West Norfolk Council to change the use of The Compasses, in Lynn Road, Snettisham, from a public house to residential, retail and office use.

Applicant Arthur Massen, who lives near the former pub, wants to have two homes, a small office and a retail outlet on the site which is in a conservation area.

Michael Tucker is currently serving a minimum term of 22 years behind bars for murdering 28-year-old Becky Thorpe in March 2010 at the site.

The couple had opened The Compasses for business as a pub in 2009.

Eric Langford, chairman of Snettisham Parish Council, welcomed the plan to transform the building which has 'lots of history and character'.

He added: 'We, at the parish council, have no objection to the plan. We particularly like the retail unit aspect of the plan.

'In the past, the building was used as a magistrates' court in the village and there is a willingness in the village to see it transformed because it is a pretty building.

'I would hope going forward it is remembered for being a historic building that used to be a magistrates' court rather than the fact an unfortunate murder took place there.'

Tucker shot Miss Thorpe on March 9, 2010, as she sat in the bath after she told him she was having an affair and that she didn't want him seeing his children from a previous relationship again.

After leaving her body in the bath for two days, Tucker wrapped her body in a duvet and dumped it in the freezer outside the pub.

Over the following days Tucker gave various explanations as to where Miss Thorpe had gone, telling some people she was ill or tired, and others that she was visiting friends.

With Tucker running out of explanations for Miss Thorpe's disappearance, he fled Norfolk on March 20 and travelled to the Isle of Wight.

A police officer found Miss Thorpe's body in the freezer on Tuesday, March 23.

A post-mortem examination revealed she had died from a gunshot wound.

When Tucker was tracked down to the Bernay Hotel in Sandown, where he had registered under a false name, he was arrested on suspicion of murder.

Tucker always denied murdering Miss Thorpe, who once worked as a dental nurse in Downham Market, but after a six-day trial, a jury took less than an hour to reach a guilty verdict.

Tucker was originally told to serve at least 26 years in prison but in December, three senior judges, sitting at London's Court of Appeal, cut this to 22 years after ruling that the Norwich judge had imposed a sentence usually reserved for drive-by killers and gangland gunmen.