A former Chester pub is set to be turned into a community centre and store despite one objector’s claim it could leave the local shopping parade ‘looking like Beirut’.

Planning chiefs met on Thursday where they approved proposals to convert the Dee Miller in Kingsway – which had been empty since February 2018 – into a multi-functional space for meetings, social functions, exercise and well-being classes and other events and activities.

The plans were submitted by PLP Estates Limited and also include building a single storey extension to provide 350 sq m of space for a retail unit alongside 24 car parking spaces.

Allan Lewis, operations director at Cheshire Retail LTD which runs nearby Thrifty’s convenience store, presented a 300 name petition objecting to the plans and said a multinational retailer moving on site could drive out smaller businesses and leave the local shopping area ‘looking like Beirut’.

He said: “We will not be able to continue trading if a multinational retailer moves in directly opposite our store.”

He added: “In my previous career I’ve completed commercial feasibility studies on over 10,000 convenience stores and parades in the UK, and in my experience, attracting a multinational retailer will result in empty units on the parade - it is a short-sighted, quick fix.”

PLP Estates bought the site in February this year and submitted its plans to the council in the same month. The site is currently listen as an asset of community value.

Peter Rowe from PLP Estates, told the meeting it was 'crucial' that the proposals took into account local residents’ wishes.

He said: “The property has been vacant for three-and-a-half years and as you will have seen from your recent site visit, suffers from lots of antisocial behaviour and is currently boarded up.”

Moving approval, Cllr Jill Houlbrook, added: “I think it’s a worthwhile application. This building has been empty for an awful long while, do we wait until it actually falls down and becomes totally useless to the community?”

The committee voted unanimously to approve the plans.