PENARTH councillors have given the green light for Subway to open a new store in the town centre.

The town council raised no objections to a planning application for new signage on the former J M Textiles school uniform shop on Stanwell Road.

The application for the installation of a ‘halo’ illuminated sign and externally illuminated sign will now be considered by the Vale council, which will ultimately decide whether it is approved or not.

During tonight’s planning committee meeting councillors were told they could not object to Subway opening in the town centre, but could only comment on whether they thought the signage was appropriate or not.

Councillor Neil Thomas (Stanwell), who was chairing the committee, said: “We aren’t here to talk about whether we approve of Subway. It’s not part of our remit in this meeting as there is no need for change of use as no cooking is going on in the premises. It’s a retail premises changing to another retail premises.”

Town clerk Shan Bowden told councillors that the existing building had Class A1 usage and that was the same as Subway stores. She added that the only change was from blue to green livery on the front of the premises.

Subway, which has more than 43,000 stores in over 105 countries, has opened more than 260 stores in the UK and Ireland in the last 12 months, with an average of five stores opening every week. The American fast food restaurant franchise primarily sells sandwiches and salads.

Councillor Gwyn Roberts (St Augustine’s) said the town council had no grounds to object as “they are not even changing the shop frontage.”

Cllr Thomas added: “They are painting it green to the standard Subway livery rather than dark blue.”

The town council, in its role as consultees to the Vale, raised no objections to the planning application.