Flats are set to be built in the place of two Somers Town shops in Portsmouth

Members of Portsmouth City Council's planning committee will be asked to approve the Saxon UK Developments scheme with a report welcoming the provision of 13 extra homes and the improvement to the 'visual aesthetics' of the site.

The application for the Sushi2Me and Somers Town Grocery building in Somers Road was submitted in July last year in a bid to increase the scale of development.

It proposes the construction of a five-storey building of 12 two-bedroom flats and one one-bedroom flat with 15 parking spaces and storage space for bikes.

'The proposal...provides sensitively designed new homes which will help to create a sustainable and vibrant new residential community,' a statement submitted with the plans says. 'Considerable importance has been placed onachieving a high standard of design across the site.'

A decision on the application will be made by councillors at Wednesday's meeting with a recommendation that planning permission be granted.

'The proposal would make a contribution towards the provision of housing...[at a] time when the council cannot demonstrate a five-year housing land supply,' the report says.

It adds: 'The development would also improve the visual aesthetics and safety of the site and the immediate area, and the proposed planting scheme would increase the biodiversity value of the site.'