A revamp for a Norwich superstore is due to take place in the autumn, after plans were given the go-ahead.

Proposals for the Waitrose supermarket at Eaton, lodged with Norwich City Council earlier this year, have been approved by City Hall planning officers.

Waitrose has been given the green light to make changes to the lobby at the back of the Church Lane superstore, including new entrance doors, and to extend the store’s cafe.

The existing entrance to the store from the car park will be demolished and replaced with a new store entrance.

Officers, in granting permission, said: “This is a much smaller and simpler entrance feature which would be more contemporary in design and materials than the existing.

“It is a very modest feature in comparison to the building as a whole and is considered to be appropriate in design and not to effect the overall appearance of the building or wider area.”

The extension to the cafe, at the front of the store, would see the current exterior walls extended, with a small planting bed on Church Lane needing to be removed to allow that to happen.

Permission was also granted to make alterations to the service delivery yard at the superstore, reached via Eaton Street.

The plans will also see changes to part of the store’s car park.

New bays for delivery vans would be created in a small section of car park to the left of the rear entrance.

In the planning documents lodged with City Hall, Waitrose said that change was needed because of the increased demand for delivery services.

And there will be new covered trolley bays, which Waitrose said would “improve customer experience”.

The superstore is in one of the city council’s designated conservation areas, but officers at City Hall said: “Given the scale of the alterations and the design and materials which are appropriate to the character of the existing building, it is not considered the proposal would cause any harm to the Conservation Area or setting of adjacent listed buildings.”

A Waitrose spokeswoman said: “We’re pleased to have received planning consent for the shop improvements. Our aim is now to begin work in the autumn, providing it doesn’t compromise any social distancing measures that are in place at that time.”