Plans have been approved to restore an imposing Grade II listed building that once served as a post office and bank back into a single eight bedroom family house.

The Old Post Office in Harleston was most recently occupied by a café, art gallery and offices but has been standing empty for years.

Known as the Post Office, the striking late Georgian, early Victorian building on Old Market Place still contains vaults in the kitchen and a safe on the first floor understood to date back to when it was a bank.

South Norfolk Council has now approved plans to restore back the building back to a single residential dwelling. Similar plans had been approved in 2012 but the work was never undertaken.

Planners said the proposals would not result in harm to the special interest of the listed building.

The decision came despite concerns being raised about parking and objections that the size of the building meant it could be converted to multi-occupancy in future.