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Permission has been granted to convert the former Leaf restaurant in West Kirby into a supermarket and residential development.
West Kirby Today revealed last month that the historic pub building was set to become a Tesco Express after an application was submitted for an alcohol licence.
Now the council's planning department has given conditional approval for a change of use for the building, along with the construction of five properties in the former car park and beer garden.
The letter states: "There are no suitable and available sequentially preferable sites for the proposed retail use and the proposal would not have a significant impact on the vitality and viability of neighbouring centres.
"The proposal as a whole promotes an effective use of the site and provides a suitable housing mix. The proposal would be compatible with neighbouring uses, and would not have a significant adverse impact on neighbour amenity or the character and appearance of the surrounding area.
"The proposal would also not have an adverse impact on highway safety or biodiversity and would preserve the significance of the non-designated heritage asset.
"The proposal thereby complies with the Wirral Local Plan as a whole and relevant national decision taking policies contained within the National Planning Policy Framework."
The decision marks the end of an era for the site, which has been home to a pub since at least 1822, when it was known as the Chesnut Horse. Later it was renamed the Bay Horse and then, for many years, The Black Horse.
In the 2000s it was subject to a huge refit and was known as The Collingwood before briefly becoming The Hilltop.
Celebrity chef Simon Rimmer took over in 2016 and renamed it The Viking, before it shut and was taken over by Leaf in 2020.
