A NEW gym employing up to eight staff is set to give a vital boost to Dumbarton High Street.

A bid by Energie Scotland to take over two units attached to the Artizan Centre has found favour with council planners who have recommended it gets the go-ahead.

Energie - a national chain of gyms - plans to combine the units and create a café, gym/fitness space, changing facilities, sauna, steam room, office and studio space.

In addition to the gym use, sports massage, physiotherapy and beauty therapy may also be offered.

A paper which will go before West Dumbartonshire’s planning committee on Wednesday states that it is anticipated the gym will directly employ six to eight staff, with around five further freelance class instructors and up to eight self-employed personal trainers.

The planners’ report states: “The proposed gym is in principle a departure from the development plan, however, it is considered that the proposed use would contribute positively to the vitality and viability of the town centre and would not have a detrimental impact on the character and amenity of the area.”

They add: “The proposal would provide a long-term tenant that would complement the existing uses within the town centre. The use as a gym would therefore bring two vacant units back into use.”

The proposed opening hours are Monday to Friday, 6am to 10pm and 8am to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Externally, the only alteration proposed is that the existing entrance door to one unit would be removed and the frontage glazed. The other unit would provide the main entrance.

Both units form part of a traditional three storey building constructed in the 1930s, with an attractive upper façade.

Both units are currently vacant.

One was designed for retail use approximately 10 years ago and has never been occupied. The other was used by Clydebank College for almost 10 years.