A NEW sushi restaurant could be coming to the Triangle area of Bournemouth.

Plans have been submitted for the change of use of 49 Commercial Road - the former Gamestore shop which has been empty since 2012 - so it can be converted to house a branch of sushi/bento restaurant Kokoro, which has outlets in Brighton and London and elsewhere around the UK.

Kokoro would be the second sushi chain applying to open in Bournemouth, with Yo Sushi set to take over the former La Senza shop on Old Christchurch Road.

The area is enjoying something of a renaissance with the opening recently of Mexican restaurant Ojo Rojo and work under way to reopen the nearby Branksome pub as a craft beer outlet, and it is increasingly playing host to events and attractions such as the Big Wheel and next week's Bourne Free festival.

Plans have also been submitted by Southbourne Brewery to install its equipment in and run a tap room at a property in Poole Hill, opposite Koh Thai Tapas, which currently houses bar Canvas on its upper floors.

According to the application, Kokoro is principally aimed at "shoppers and workers at lunchtime" with only limited opening in the evenings.

It said the quoted rent for the property has reduced by around 33 per cent since it was vacated by Gamestore, with attempts to maintain its retail usage having failed.

The application said: "The proposed use provides an important contribution to the local economy.

"The council has acknowledged and identified that a wider range of uses attractive in the town centre will be encouraged in order to address the balance between alcohol-focused venues and other evening uses."

Town centre councillor Robert Chapman said: "I am pleased to see these properties come back into use, whether it is catering or retail, as long as we see a little life come back into the streets.

"The Triangle has improved tremendously over the last couple of years with Flirt cafe and Tesco. There are just one or two empty units which I hope will be taken up soon. It is rather untidy looking at the moment."