PROPOSALS to turn a vacant Carlisle city shop centre into a takeaway have been given the go-ahead.

Carlisle City Council gave permission to change the use of the former Castle Framing shop, on St Albans Row, part of the Old Town Hall, from retail to a “hot food takeaway”.

The framing business had closed down in April, during the lockdown.

The applicant is listed as Costel Stoica.

Proposal were received by the council on July 29, validated on July 31 and approved on Friday.

A letter from Carigiet Cowen, Carlisle-based chartered surveyors, in support of the application said: “In our opinion, we feel that the operation will benefit the surrounding operators within the Old Town Hall building and would be a suitable offering for a building of this kind, size and location in the city centre."

Historic England, the organisation that looks at the nation’s built heritage, said it did not want to comment.

For information go to www.carlisle.gov.uk/Residents/Planning-and-Building-Control and quote application number 20/0508.