Plans for more shop units to be built in Dereham have been approved by Breckland councillors.Dencora, which created 12 shops in the multi-million-pound Wrights Walk/Chapel Walk shopping centre, plans to build a two-storey retail scheme with two two-bedroom flats on land opposite QD and the garden of the old Bonds toy shop.

Plans for more shop units to be built in Dereham have been approved by Breckland councillors.

Dencora, which created 12 shops in the multi-million-pound Wrights Walk/Chapel Walk shopping centre, plans to build a two-storey retail scheme with two two-bedroom flats on land opposite QD and the garden of the old Bonds toy shop.

The complex will include 1,516 sq m of shop floorspace.

Nick Moys, principal planning officer for Breckland, said the development would be a positive addition to the town and would greatly enhance the current shopping complex.

Michael Fanthorpe said Dereham Town Council welcomed the small units which could be used by local businesses rather than large national chains. But Stephen Cross, chairman of Dereham and District Chamber of Trade and Commerce, said there were already 20 shops that were currently unoccupied or soon to be unoccupied in Dereham, and that an additional four units would put pressure on the town centre.

Pamela Spencer said the designs for the development were unattractive and a “hangover from the '70s”.

There were also concerns that there would be no shop entrances on Chapel Walk and that this would create an unpleasant alleyway, but Mr Moys said shop windows would brighten up the area.

A spokesman for Dencora said the scheme would not include a provision of public toilets.

Councillors also approved Dencora's application to demolish a garden wall to make way for the development yesterday.