PLANS for an Italian-style coffee shop and restaurant in Pitsea town centre have been approved.

Basildon Council has granted permission for an empty carpet shop in Tudor Mansions, High Road, to be transformed.

It is not yet known how many new jobs the business will bring, but it could be open from 8am until 11pm.

Pitsea is undergoing a £30million regeneration which was kickstarted by the opening of the new market in January.

A supersized Morrisons is expected to open around Christmas, taking in the site of the current Aldi store in Rectory Park Drive and the former Pitsea swimming pool.

A replacement Aldi is being built at Northlands Pavement.

Gordon Humphries, planning officer at Basildon Council, said: “In light of the town centre location on a main thoroughfare and bus route, it is considered the proposed use would contribute to the overall character, variety and vitality of the town centre which is the subject of a regeneration.”