A car park will be transformed into a new public square with street food stalls and a covered seating area.

Harrow Council’s planning committee unanimously approved proposals for a scheme in St John’s Road car park.

It is part of the council’s economic development strategy and seeks to provide new community facilities for Harrow town centre.

There are plans to change the existing car park into a public square with five single-storey food kiosks with scope for additional temporary stalls where appropriate.

The proposed opening hours for the square are 8am to 10pm seven days-a-week including bank holidays.

There are also plans for an art display window as part of the scheme, as well as nearby storage facilities and benches in the square.

Planning officers reassured councillors that any new furniture would not encourage people “sleeping overnight” or attract anti-social behaviour to the area.

Cllr Kiran Ramchandani said the food court will be a “great addition” to the town and she “hugely welcomed” the concept.

According to the council, the scheme will create new jobs in the area while the parking spaces lost in St John’s will be re-distributed across the town centre.

It consulted with neighbouring properties and did not receive any objections to the proposals.