Under plans submitted by Orford House Developments Limited the empty site could be turned into hundreds of student flats.

The proposals were initially put forward in January 2024, but the developer has been hit with a series of hurdles including the viability of the scheme to provide affordable housing.

But now officials at City Hall say they are at a stage where they can consider the plans and are set to make a decision in early 2026.

Plans were lodged in 2024 to turn the building into flats (Image: Sonya Duncan, Newsquest)

Under the original designs, which first emerged in January 2024, the new building would have been 10 storeys tall and able to house 405 student studio flats.

However, Norwich City Council will be deciding whether to allow the scheme to turn the former department store into an eight-storey block, with 377 flats, which is 28 rooms fewer than the original plans proposed.

Revised plans were........

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