Plans approved for new 24-hour gym and Greggs at former kitchen showroom site in Scarborough
A 24-hour gym and Greggs will move into a former North Yorkshire kitchen showroom after plans were approved.
The derelict Magnet Kitchen Showroom at Seamer Road in Scarborough will be partially demolished, with a PureGym and a Greggs set to be opened at the site.
Pure Gym said that as the UK’s largest gym operator, its business was “rapidly growing and reflects the growth of the affordable fitness sector within the UK”.
“We currently have dispersed representation in North Yorkshire with gaps in provision in coastal areas.”
The development will see the demolition of a small portion of the building and its subsequent refurbishment and subdivision to create three separate units.
Planning officers said that the main consideration in the case was whether the proposed redevelopment of the site would lead to a “significant adverse impact” on the vitality or viability of Scarborough town centre.
The redundant brownfield site is located approximately 3km southwest of Scarborough town centre.
PureGym requires a site with a minimum of 50 parking spaces immediately adjacent to its entrance, according to submitted plans, and the location of the site would benefit the proposed development.
Planners concluded that there were “no existing opportunities within Scarborough town centre that comprise suitable, available and viable alternatives to the application site”.
Concerns were also raised about business competition and the impact on other gyms in the area.
However, officers said that complaints about competition with local businesses were not legitimate planning issues: “The planning system focuses on land use and built form, not private financial interests.”
A report concluded that the site in its current state has a negative impact on the area, and as the building has been vacant for some time, it has been subject to vandalism, which has resulted in its deteriorated appearance.
“The proposed scheme presents an opportunity to enhance the appearance of the building and site in which it is situated,” it added.
The application was approved by North Yorkshire Council, subject to conditions.