Disused shop allowed to be converted into exercise studio which could offer 'new opportunity'

The Body Barn on Moorfield Lane, Newport, has grown in popularity over the last five years and is now set to expand its provision.

The vacant archery shop which sits adjacent to The Body Barn is planned to provide an enclosed indoor area for yoga, pilates and spin classes to take place.

The Body Barn owner Danny Robb said the new indoor building will help to attract different customers to the current provision.

“Some people might want to want to try our place but not be in the outdoors,” he said.

“It’s a new indoor facility to give an opportunity to a different demographic of client really.

“It’s different to the Body Barn, it’s fully walled so it’s insulated and there’s no external noise. The barn has an open side, while the indoor facility is not hopefully going to affect the locals.”

Mr Robb said that the new facility would help to grow engagement in the community and provide exercise classes not currently available.

“It’s offering our clients more value to the service, but also offering another opportunity as there is no spin around the area,” Mr Robb added.

“Like the cycling club in the winter, if they don’t have the opportunity to cycle, they can then come and spin in an indoor area.

“We also have local schools and it gives them another facility to extend their extra-curricular use as well.”

Telford & Wrekin Council has approved plans for the archery shop to be converted into a fitness/exercise studio.

A council planning officer said that the shop building had recently become vacant and was located on a working farm, along with The Body Barn.

The farm has no restriction on hours of working and farming operations could take place 24 hours a day without the owners being in breach of any planning regulations.

The new exercise studio will have opening hours to match the adjacent gym. Both buildings can open for customers between 6am and 9pm on weekdays and between 8an and 6pm on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays.

One Chetwyn Aston resident objected and said that currently ‘loud music’ emulates from the existing Body Barn.

Mr Robb previously said that his business has installed ‘environmentally appropriate cladding’ to the outside of their Body Barn building to reduce noise pollution. He said that they also use a decibel meter which remains on to ensure noise levels remain within their limits.

The council’s public protection specialists were amongst those who were consulted on the application and raised no objection.

“It is considered that the proposal will not have any significant impact on the residential amenity of any neighbouring property,” the council’s planning officer concluded.

“There are no planning reasons to refuse the application.”