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A Caerphilly gym owner’s plans for a new “cardiac rehabilitation” centre has been given the green light by council planners.

Mark Evans, of Creazione Fitness Village, applied to build a ground floor extension to the rear of the property, which is on Western Industrial Estate.

Plans show Mr Evans intends to remove an area of artificial grass to make way for the new cardiac area and extra parking spaces.

According to a statement by planning agent David Willicombe, of Lloyds PMS Ltd, the purpose of the extension is “not to increase the footfall to the building or to encourage more members to the facility”.

Instead, the extension will allow Creazione to “separate the current cardiac and Parkinson’s rehabilitation groups from the general public and members, thereby providing ‘user-friendly’ space with ease of access on the ground floor”.

The new cardiac area will be a “more suitable and appropriate facility for our specialised rehabilitation groups”, Mr Willicombe said.

A previous application to extend the premises was refused in January because it provided “inadequate” parking spaces, but the removal of the artificial grass area will open up space for seven more staff parking spaces, according to the agent’s planning statement.

A Caerphilly County Borough Council planning report shows some members of the public objected to the revised plans over parking and noise concerns.

Planners judged the new proposals for vehicles at Creazione are “acceptable” and provide “the necessary levels of parking”, however.

In granting planning permission, the council officers imposed several conditions on the new development, including for a new sound insulation scheme “to ensure noise from the proposed use does not affect the use and enjoyment of any nearby residential property”.