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Plans to turn a former Sports Direct store into a crazy golf complex - complete with its own bar and restaurant - have been given the go-ahead.

Earlier this year, Caddies submitted a planning application to Derby City Council to convert the ground and first floor levels of the unit, in St Peter’s Street, into the new venture.

The property has been empty ever since Sports Direct vacated the store back in March last year.

Caddies already operates a similar venue in Southend-on-Sea. The new Derby site will create more than a dozen jobs. Proposed opening hours would be from 12noon to 11pm on week nights and 12noon to midnight at weekends.

In the original planning documents submitted to the city council by Planning and Design Practice, on behalf of Caddies, it said: “Caddies is a uniquely themed restaurant combining crazy golf, comedy, live entertainment and food in to a vibrant day to evening establishment.

“The corporate market, families and students are all catered for by the establishment which is vibrant and innovative.

“Overall, it is considered that the proposal can aid in the long-term vitality and viability of the high street.

“Although a retail unit may be forfeited it is considered that the diversification of the unit to a leisure/restaurant use will have significant positive benefits to the street scene, vibrancy and economic activity of the vicinity which all meets the council’s objectives of providing a renaissance for the city centre.”