Plans to redevelop a major building in the heart of Lowestoft will be under the microscope next week.

On Tuesday, Lowestoft Town Council's planning committee will discuss plans to redevelop 119-125 London Road North - the former home of Tesco Metro which closed in September 2019.

Now, plans have been lodged with East Suffolk Council to transform the vacant site into 23 new apartments, as well as a communal terrace and retail unit.

The proposal includes three studio apartments, 18 one or two bedroom apartments and two two or three bedroom apartments.

In a report prepared as part of the proposal, architects Morse Webb, on behalf of applicants Lowestoft Developments Ltd, said: "The ground floor retains the existing store which opens onto the bus stops and main road of London Road North.

"The aesthetic of the building remains predominantly unchanged but does include new windows throughout with new window openings where required.

"The proposal is to demolish a section of first floor to provide a private communal terrace and to maximise natural light into the north-facing apartments.

"It will also be an opportunity to provide green outdoor space in a dense area of the built environment."

The plans also include eight car parking spaces and cycle storage.

A previous proposal to redevelop the site was withdrawn in March last year amid concerns of the size of the design, which could have added two more storeys.

The Tesco Metro store had served the community in Lowestoft for decades before it closed.

Earlier this year, the company opened a Tesco Express store 100 yards away from their previous site.

The store at 119-125 has remained empty since the closure almost three years ago.

Town councillors will discuss the plans and put forward a recommendation to East Suffolk Council who, as planning authority, will have the final say at a later date.

The meeting of Lowestoft Town Council's planning committee will take place on Tuesday, July 5 at 6.45pm at Hamilton House on Battery Green Road.