Gym plans for Newbury Office Outlet approved

West Berkshire Council approves scheme at Greenham Road Retail Park

PLANS for a 24/7 gym in the former Office Outlet store in Newbury have been approved.

Royal and Sun Alliance had applied to change the use of the building at the Greenham Road Retail Park by the A339 to include flexible use for A1 (retail) and D2 (assembly and leisure).

Approving the plans, West Berkshire Council said that the principle of development on the site was accepted as it falls within a retail park.

Documents said that the gym would create 12 full-time equivalent jobs and be open 24/7, with higher noise level studio classes between 6.30am and 9pm.

Environmental health officers raised no objection subject to noise-limiting conditions being put in place.

The council’s highways department raised no objection subject to conditions, initially requesting cycle and motorcycle parking and also car electric charging points.

This was later changed to only include 2x22kw car electric charging points.

The applicant said that the building would provide a 24-hour gym/health and fitness facility to “meet the needs of an identified tenant and ensure the re-occupation of the unit”.

Royal and Sun Alliance said that they had identified the building, on the same site as Halfords and Burger King, as no other vacant units or sites “could potentially be considered available, suitable and viable for the proposed development”.

The application received three letters of objection, raising concerns that the proposed gym would have adverse impacts on traffic and parking.

The three objectors said there were too many gyms in Newbury, with two of them suggesting that the building should be used for retail, ideally Iceland.

A car park occupancy survey showed “a large amount of spare capacity throughout the day”, with a minimum 82 vacant spaces at any time.

A traffic assessment said there would be fewer trips generated than the existing retail use during the weekday evening peak and Saturday lunchtime peak, with one additional trip roughly every five minutes in the weekday morning peak.

Stating its case, the applicant said: “The site is in an accessible and well-connected edge-of-centre location.

“Its appropriateness for a main town centre use has also been established.

“The proposal will result in a range of benefits, including re-occupation of the unit, the creation of new job opportunities for local residents and supporting the health and well-being of local residents.”