A BAKERY in Grays is set to become a restaurant after planning officers gave the go ahead.

Hannah's Bakery in High Street, Grays which had consent to provide an array of baked savouries and hot snacks has been granted a certificate of lawful development to be transformed into a restaurant.

The restaurant, on the ground floor of a mid-terrace, two storey building in the town centre will be revamped for its new offering.

The Lawful Development Certificate application sought to determine as to whether the proposed change of use from a bakery with some seating arrangements to a restaurant falling under the new use Class E, would be lawful.

Planning officers determined the current use as a bakery falls within Class E (a), and the proposed use as a restaurant would fall within Class E (b).

A planning report said: "The plans submitted with the application indicate that there would be an internal refit of the bakery premises within the ground floor only, there are no other proposed operational development changes to the premises or to the façade of the building.

"As the existing unit has a Class E (a) use, and as the proposal would continue to fall within Class E, additional planning permission for the change of use would not be required.

"The restaurant can't operate as a takeway and a planning application will need to be submitted to install an extractor and flue."