A VACANT Lloyds Bank in Corringham could soon be brought back into use as a restaurant and café after Thurrock Council confirmed the conversion can go ahead without planning permission.

The empty branch at 20-22 Grover Walk would be transformed into a sit-down restaurant and café, with takeaway and delivery services as a secondary part of the business.

Lloyds announced it was closing the bank, the last operating in East Thurrock, in 2023.

Council planning officers have issued a Certificate of Lawfulness confirming the change can take place because both banks and restaurants fall within the same planning use class.

This means a full planning application is not required for the change of use.

The proposed restaurant and café would occupy the ground floor of a three-storey building, with residential accommodation located on the first and second floors.

According to documents submitted to the council, plans include reconfiguring the interior of the building to create customer seating areas, a kitchen, toilets and staff facilities.

No external alterations or extensions are proposed as part of the scheme.

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The restaurant would primarily operate as a dine-in venue, with takeaway and delivery services remaining secondary to the main business.

The planning documents do not disclose what type of restaurant or café would operate from the site.

Applicants confirmed that any external equipment needed for the restaurant, such as extraction, ventilation or ducting, would be the subject of a separate planning application.

The applicant stated the application "represents the continued active use of a vacant or underused unit within an established town centre environment".