The site of the first Burger King drive-thru in the UK is to become a 100-bed hotel.

Sutton Council planners have given the go-ahead to a scheme to turn the site of the old fast food restaurant, at the bottom of Sutton High Street, into a Travelodge.

The site has been unused since fast food giant Burger King left on December 31 last year.

The restaurant, opened on October 14, 1986, was the chain's first drive-thru in the UK.

Developers applied to build the budget hotel, complete with ground floor shops, on the site near the junction with Burnell Road.

Sutton Council’s Development Control Committee gave the scheme the green light after planning officers said it “would promote a greater footfall to the site and increase the vitality of this part of the town centre”.

A report prepared by council planners said: “There is a recognised shortage of hotel accommodation within the town centre and it is considered that this proposed use could potentially make a significant contribution to the attractiveness of the town centre as a location for business and for leisure visitors.”

It added: “The building will act as a landmark… and it is considered that this is a high quality scheme comprising a modern design approach to breathe new life into this prominent site.”

Councillor Jayne McCoy, the council's executive member for planning, economic development and housing, said: “This development is one of a number of exciting projects on the cards for the town centre and shows that potential investors and businesses are becomingly increasingly aware of the opportunities and benefits Sutton has to offer.”

A public consultation to showcase the proposed redevelopment was held over the summer and the developers have since included measures to minimise the impact of the development on local residents.

The hotel will also come with 56 basement car parking spaces and eight car parking spaces at ground floor.