View down Great Shaw Street showing artists impression of Friargate Court

A new coffee shop as part of an £18 million student block of flats has been approved.

The Friargate Court scheme had applied to convert an old electricity sub-station into a new retail unit – becoming home for a quick caffiene fix for students living above.

Portergate Developments are currently building the 244-bedroomed building and councillors approved the plan to demolish the outbuilding in Great Shaw Street.

Anthony Jackson, chairman of Portergate, said: “Our development work is really gathering pace and people can see the stylish, modern building that is coming out of the ground.

“The new retail unit that we’ve been given the go-ahead will be a welcome addition to the development, serving the people who will make this their home, and it has been designed very much in keeping with the overall look and feel of the main building.”

The new single-storey unit would be a coffee shop and takeaway.

A spokesman for the developers said at this stage it was not known whether the coffee shop would be chain or an independent.

Friargate Court is due to be completed in late 2016.

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