A former florist shop will be turned into a new restaurant and takeaway.

Mr M Kugathas is behind the proposals for the old Fantasy Flowers store at 153 Rayleigh Road, Eastwood.

He has been given planning permission to install a seating area inside the shop on the ground floor and convert its change of use from retail to restaurant.

The upper floors, which are currently used as flats, are not affected by the plans.

Drawings of the external changes to the building suggest the new restaurant will be a chicken takeaway called Elite Peri Peri.

There is a takeaway based in Bermondsey, London, trading under that name currently.

The planning statement added: “The proposal would provide internal seating area for patrons to enjoy hot cooked food, especially for shoppers, whilst also providing a new food outlet service for the local community.

“The proposal intends to also provide much needed economic boost to the existing business by providing a new restaurant within the parade with seating thereby attracting patrons from the local community and businesses.

“The new restaurant would in turn also provide the employment of extra staff from the community.”

A new extraction system will be installed as part of the plans to prevent odours from the restaurant affecting nearby properties.

Dozens of objections were raised against the scheme and centred on concerns over parking, odour and the impact it would have on the area.

But Southend Council’s planning officers dismissed those fears, and have granted conditional approval of the plans.

Their report added: “The proposal would on balance have an acceptable impact on the amenities of neighbouring occupiers, the shopping frontage and wider centre within which it would be located, the character and appearance of the building and the locality more widely.

“The highways impacts of the proposal are acceptable.”