Planning permission has been granted for a former car showroom to be converted into a charity shop.

Cornwall Hospice Care applied for permission to change the former Cathedral Motors showroom in Moresk Road, Truro, into a new shop for the charity.

The charity, which runs Mount Edgcumbe Hospice in St Austell and St Julia’s Hospice in Hayle, needed a new home after Cornwall Council launched plans for a multimillion pound redevelopment in Pydar Street.

Under plans the development could see new homes, shops, workspace, restaurants and a new campus for Falmouth University being built on the site in Pydar Street.

Cornwall Hospice Care (CHC) currently operates one of its two stores in the city in St Clement House which is one of the buildings which would be redeveloped as part of the plans.

In a planning statement submitted as part of the application states: “CHC are required to vacate the premises by September 2020 and therefore there is an urgent need to find an alternative property that meets their particular requirements.

“Cornwall Council, understandably, have not been able to offer alternative accommodation. Therefore, in the knowledge that they are required to vacate the building in the not too distant future and noting that they need to continue to operate a successful retail business in Truro that replicates the current retail activity at the premises at St Clement House, then CHC have been proactive in seeking alternative accommodation.”

The former Cathedral Motors site was a car showroom until October 2019 and is currently vacant.

Planning permission was required to change the use of the premises to retail use for the charity.

The charity’s current shop in St Clement House is used mainly for the sale of furniture and is one of five shops like this in Cornwall. The charity has another 26 general charity shops and in 2018/19 the shops funded 16.7 per cent of the charity’s care costs.

Truro City Council supported the planning application which has been approved by Cornwall Council.