A SCOTTISH charity promoting the wellbeing of children has been given the green light to transform a vacant town centre shop into new offices.

Planning chiefs have given the Compass Child and Family Services the go ahead to renovate the West Coast Disability Centre on Bath Street after it lay empty for nearly four months.

The council approved the renovation on the basis that 'all reasonable steps had been taken to let or sell the property for retail purposes' but stated that there had been no interest expressed at a rental level similar to the other properties of a comparable size and location.

The council officer handling the case said: "It is not considered that a change of use away from retail would undermine the retail function of the town centre.

"The proposed use would bring the employees and potentially clients of the occupants to the location with potential benefits from additional users of the town centre."

The charity's purposes is to work with families and individual members to provide support and encourage the effective functioning of families living in Scotland in an attempt to avoid the need for more intensive state and social work intervention.

They also provide residential medium to long term care for children and young people in the care of the Scottish state.

Agent for the charity, Low Beaton Richmond LLP, said: "Our clients advise that Compass CFS requires an office base which will be central to the location of any property providing care and support for children and families.

"The office base will be for the use of the chief executive, administrator and service managers, including for meetings with employees.

"It is planned that the hours of operation will be Monday to the Friday from 9am to 5pm."

Council bosses approved the plans on the basis that the proposal complies with the relevant provisions of the Local Development Plan and that there were no other material considerations that indicated otherwise.

Compass CFS will now have to submit a notice to the council stating when they intend to start development on the space before any work can commence.