South Norfolk Council has unanimously approved plans for the outlet in Denton, overturning advice from officials who said the proposal should be refused. 

The new shop, which will supply the village of around 350 people with a selection of food and alcohol, is set to be built at the home address of the applicant, Paul Wilby.

A decision is due on plans for a new shop in the village of Denton (Image: Google Street View)

At the planning meeting on Wednesday, Mr Wilby said he had been working on developing the proposal for more than a year, and had found that the “only financially viable way to operate a village shop in Denton is to have it in your property”. 

It will be built on his driveway on Darrow Green Road, and will feature a delivery service and phone order system to help elderly villagers who struggle to get out.

It is expected to create up to three part-time jobs and will stock produce from local suppliers. 

The new store will end a 35 year stretch where the village - four miles from Bungay - has been without one.

The last shop, on Corner Road, had served the community for at least 80 years before it shut in 1991.

Located at Chapel Corner, Denton's last village shop, on the right in the picture above, had closed at the end of 1991 (Image: Denton Parish Council)

Planning officers had recommended refusal, however, raising concerns about the site’s location, more than a mile outside the centre of Denton.

However, Mr Wilby and his partner, told councillors they believe these fears were “overstated”, and called for the application to be approved.

His partner said: “We are blessed to live in such a special village and an amazing community who always club together to make things happen.

"We are willing to take the risk of providing a much needed service to our local community and we have their full backing. 

Denton Parish Council has backed the plans for the new village store (Image: Newsquest)

“All we are asking for is for Denton to have its own local shop to serve the community.”

Conservative councillor Kieran Murphy added: “They’ve made an effort to mitigate the failures of previous failed businesses.

“There are community benefits and economical benefits there and I don't think we should be shackling ourselves to our own detriment by our own policies.”

The committee approved the plans, deciding that the community benefits outweighed the risks the plans posed.

© Eastern Daily Press