Empty offices above Northampton's Nandos will become flats with room for up to 40 students

The three empty floors above the chicken grill and the neighbouring Prezzo restaurant in Mercers Row have been greenlit for development by the borough council.

It will now be renovated into a block of 20 double-bedrooms exclusively students by Fernbrook Investments UK Ltd.

Plans on the borough council website show how the three floors will be made into four "clusters" made up of five double-bedrooms each with kitchens, dining space and laundry.

It comes as plans are underway to create 69 students flats above the former Balestra Nightclub on nearby Market Square,

Meanwhile, a total of three parking spaces accessible from Dychurch Lane are all that will be available for the student flats to use.

A report presented to the planning board reads: "The proposed scheme shows 20 double bedrooms, and therefore there is the potential for up to 40 students using the building.

"Northampton CAAP Policy 10 set the standards for town centre parking and requires 1 parking space per 15 students - therefore, the 3 existing parking spaces can serve up to 45 students."

The flats will also be accessible through a fob-operated lift, while a cycle shed and bin storage will also be added.

When the accommodation is finished it will be operated by a private company, and will not be a formal part of the University of Northampton.

The three floors above Prezzo and Nandos have stood empty since 2008, where it was last used as office space by HSBC Banking.

Developers now have three years to complete the renovation.