(As at Sept 2020: Recent changes to the Use Class Order may have altered the planning situation for gyms. Read more here.)
A change of use to a gym use sounds relatively straight forward. You would expect your local Council or planning authority to approve such a change of use quickly, given the multiple health benefits they bring. In this sense, gyms can be seen as being a “socially sustainable” use.
In addition, a gym would also bring economic benefits. They provide local jobs, as well as skilled jobs for those qualified in personal training and other gym activities. The change of use can also have the ability to bring back into use large, uneconomical or empty buildings.
Changing the use to a gym however can hide hidden planning problems, which ultimately lead to a planning refusal if not properly considered, evidenced, or negotiated with the council. This includes but by no means limited to noise, parking, transport and accessibility, opening times, loss of existing use, and impact on the street scene.
At Plainview Planning, we regularly and successfully negotiate Gym changes of use (of various sizes) throughout the country and have experienced planners who understand the industry, and the particular issues which will be raised at the planning application stage.
- DeRose Method Yoga (Old Brompton Road, Kensington and Chelsea Council)
- Plashet Road Gym (Newham Council)
- Bikram Yoga (Greenwich High Road, Greenwich Council)
- Ladies Only Gym (Liverpool Road, Preston Council)
- Personal Training Studio (West Sussex, Adur District Council)
- Sports Conditioning Centre (Letchworth, North Hertfordshire District Council)
For more information, or to discuss your project with one of our planners, contact our team via enquiries@plainview.co.uk or call us on 01242 501003 to see how we can best assist you, providing the site address and a brief overview of your project. You can also submit your site via our Landmark Page. We value your privacy and any information which you provide will not be shared outside of our company and will only be used in relation to your enquiry.