A new podiatry and chiropody clinic will open in Penarth, on Stanwell road, after being granted planning permission by the Vale council.

Acorn Sports Podiatry would fill a vacant site, previously occupied by Bojangles, as part of the Washington buildings on Stanwell road.

This will mean a change from a retail premises to a medical and health premises.

The planning statement states that the clinic will comprise of ''a waiting area, with sales display cabinets, to the front of the premises, and three treatment rooms, a sterilisation room, a staff room and a W.C. to the rear of the premises.''

The clinic would be open from 08:00 – 20:00 Monday to Friday and from 08:00

– 18:00 on a Saturday. It will provide employment for four full-time and one part-time staff members.

Cllr. Neil thomas had stated: ''would be sad to see a loss of a retail outlet in this busy location and I am aware that this shop has been empty for a comparatively short time."

No letters of representation were received by neighbouring properties.

The final report states: ''Within the submitted marketing report, it states that the premises has been marketed since November 2018, indicating that very little/no interest had been received from potential A1 retail users.''

''Whilst it is acknowledged that the period of marketing is less than the 12 months required by the supporting text to Policy MG14, given the apparent lack of any real interest in the site being used for an A1 retail use, in this instance, it is considered appropriate to accept a slightly lessened period of marketing.

''Indeed, given local market conditions and the general lack of national retailer requirements for a unit of this size, it is envisaged that even with further marketing there would likely be little interest from a retailer of significant covenant strength.''

The premises is considered to be within a highly sustainable location, well served by public transport facilities.

The report adds that ''Given the nature of custom, which would largely generate relatively short-term parking demand, it is considered that the proposal would not undermine the availability of vehicle parking to serve the shopping district as a whole.''