A new community building in a Penarth park is set to get hundreds of users a week according to council bosses.

The new building will replace the current bowling pavilion in Belle Vue Park on Albert Crescent.

Current buildings there have been described as too small, with poor heating, and no longer fit for purpose. These will be knocked down, to make way for the new building.

Vale of Glamorgan council's planning committee approved permission for the replacement building on Wednesday, October 27.

Councillor Kathryn McCaffer, cabinet member for leisure, arts and culture, said: "The new building will encourage a wide range of community groups to be able to use the space. Anyone who has attended a meeting or event in the current building can attest to how uninviting and inaccessible it is, and freezing cold.

"While it's sad that the existing, dilapidated building needs to be demolished, it has had a long life which has mainly benefited the bowling club. I welcome the building of a new pavilion as a way to ensure the whole community is supported for future generations, so we can keep adding to the history of this location."

It's unclear how much the new building will cost the council, or when construction would begin. Three trees will be felled to make way, but council policy states six must be planted to replace them. David Knevett, operational manager for leisure and tourism, did not answer questions on the cost of the works, but said he expected hundreds of users each week.

He said: "The new building is a considerable investment, and leisure services are keen that it's used to its full potential. By combining community use, the use of the bowlers, and events, we are confident this can be achieved, attracting several hundred users to the building on a weekly basis.

"We feel the building provides a springboard for more community activity to take place in this area of Penarth. We're really excited about this project and the opportunity this building will represent. The cost of the building is something which has gone through other committees. A significant amount of the cost is being funded through Section 106, and we've been fortunate enough to secure a grant from the lottery for this building."

The new community building was welcomed by a local community group, Friends of Belle Vue, who took part in public consultations about the works and fed into the final designs.

Theo Hodgkinson, from the group, said: "We recognise the current facility is beyond its structural life. It can't hold more than 25 people, the heating is largely non-existent, and the toilet facilities are limited and not accessible. So we're really excited to see the positive impacts of having a purpose-built facility that is accessible to all age groups. We're also excited about the energy saving credentials of the building. I think that's really great to see."