Plans for flats replacing a High Street restaurant were approved — but the storefront may become part of an expanded café.

The vacant Jimmy’s World Kitchen on the first floor, above Nando’s and Crispy Dosa in Watford, is set to be turned into eight apartments of 50 square metres (around three and a half parking spaces) or larger.

The proposal, submitted to Watford Borough Council on March 13, was given conditional planning permission on May 11 with one condition stating that the existing entrance facing out onto the road must remain a commercial unit rather than an entrance to the flats.

The council report says the entrance is intended to be used as a “small retail kiosk style unit” or incorporated into either the Costa Coffee or Crispy Dosa site.

The stairs and lift that brought customers up to Jimmy’s World would therefore be removed and the flats would be accessed via an entrance off Smith Street.

Watford Observer: Jimmy's World Kitchen frontage in 2019Jimmy's World Kitchen frontage in 2019 (Image: Google Street View)

The restaurant closed unexpectedly in August 2016 and has remained vacant ever since, as marketing failed to attract a new business.

Six of the flats would be one-bedroom and two would be two-bedroom.

The flats would be “car free”, meaning no parking spaces would be provided and would not need to include affordable homes as there are less than 10 proposed.