PERMISSION has been granted to bring a vacant former town centre takeaway back into use.

Inverclyde Council planning officials have approved proposals to create a smaller restaurant, with an ordering and waiting area, inside the empty unit at 119 West Blackhall Street in Greenock, which was previously occupied by KK's Chinese.

A dark kitchen - where food is prepared for pick-up and delivery only and the premises aren't open to the public - will also be formed along with a storage area.

The sub-division of the existing restaurant on the ground floor will see storage areas and the dark kitchen sub-let.

A report on the local authority's decision said: "The application site has been vacant for around two and a half years and the proposal to bring it back into use will eliminate a potentially dead frontage and have a positive impact on the appearance of the street, to the benefit of the amenity of the area.

"Bringing the vacant unit back into use will encourage customers into the area and increase pedestrian activity, which will be of positive benefit to the vitality and viability of the town centre."