A huge vacant store at a popular Kent shopping centre will be split into three to welcome a trio of big-name brands.

Sports Direct, USC clothing store and Game are the latest national chains preparing to move onto The Link in Broadstairs, next to Westwood Cross.

Plans have been submitted to divide the former Carpet Right store into three separate units over two floors.

Signs have already gone up at the premises, which is next to Hobbycraft and has been empty since November.

Before Carpet Right, it was Smyths toy store, which moved to the nearby Westwood Gateway retail park.

In proposals submitted to Thanet District Council, applicant Benjamin Barclay, of Sports Direct Retail Ltd, sets out the intention to divide up the large building, which is 16,490sq foot in size, for the brands to move in.

The plans include opening branded clothing store USC, as well as leading games retailer Game.

Sports Direct will take up the rest of the site.

The sports retailer already has a store in nearby Margate Road.

Frasers Group, which owns it, has been asked about the future of the branch.

Meanwhile, in Ramsgate, plans to convert the USC and Sports Direct building on Queen Street into 31 apartments, a gym and four commercial units have been approved by Thanet planning officers.

The scheme, by JDP (South Ltd), involves a second- and third-floor extension, and a four-storey rear extension.

There will be four commercial units - where USC and Sports Direct are currently located - with two due to be self-contained shops and another providing access from Queen Street to the basement gym, with a reception and lifestyle café. The gym will be run by Blitz Training Academy.

There will also be a business hub, providing ad hoc desk space for the community, and meeting and conference areas.

A document put together by Kudos Architectural Design and Surveying, on behalf of JDP, explains: "The character of Ramsgate town centre, like other high streets, is currently subject to significant substantial change.

"The era of large shops is sadly now in decline and in order to survive as a commercial shopping centre these large buildings must seek alternative sustainable uses in order to survive.

"It is therefore necessary for the retail aspect to reduce in size and find more sustainable uses that will help them to become more flexible in these challenging times.

"The proposed development will provide 31 new apartments of varying sizes to meet local demand, and 30% of these will be designated as affordable housing, in accordance with local planning policy.

"The designs of the development take reference from the external materials and architectural styles prevalent in the vicinity, thereby in keeping with the visual character of the surrounding area."