A former city centre Poundland could be turned into a takeaway after Norwich City Council approved plans to change the use of the store.

The large site in Riverside Retail Park, which has stood empty for almost a year, now has permission to serve hot food.

The Poundland has been boarded up for nearly a yearThe Poundland has been boarded up for nearly a year (Image: Google)

This would expand the options for the unit and include flexibility for retail businesses or restaurants and takeaways to take over the store.

The Poundland closed at the retail park on December 24, 2023, and has remained empty since.

Agents for the planning application, Planware, say this might help the site become a more attractive prospect for restaurants that rely heavily on takeaway customers.

However, a spokesman for Norfolk Police has raised concerns about the plans warning they might encourage more anti-social behaviour in the area.

The Poundland store closed in December 2023The Poundland store closed in December 2023 (Image: Newsquest)

He said: "The expected increase in vehicle traffic from delivery drivers and customers alike raises safety risks and will negatively disrupt the existing flow of pedestrians and other traffic.

"The car park simply isn’t designed for such use, and a restaurant such as this would be better suited with the other food outlets away from the retail area.

"Additionally, fast food outlets such as McDonald's can often become hotspots for antisocial behaviour, negatively affecting the local community's quality of life and putting additional pressure on police resources.

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"The retail park, unlike the neighbouring entertainment area which hosts many restaurants, currently lacks CCTV coverage which is crucial for monitoring and documenting instances of traffic-related crimes and antisocial behaviour."

Despite these concerns, the application has been approved, though a new business is yet to be announced for the site.