A former stationery shop will be turned into a 24-hour gym if new plans are approved by the council.

The ex-Office Outlet site on the Warren Retail Park off Simone Weil Avenue, Ashford, has lain empty since June after the company was handed over to administrators.

But now a planning application has revealed PureGym wants to take over the site next to the Marks & Spencer Foodhall - a venture which is set to create 15 new jobs.

The unit - which was previously a Staples store - currently offers 1,085 sq m, however a 264 sq m mezzanine is set to be installed by the fitness company if its plans are given the go-ahead.

Altogether, there will be a main gym area, studio, free weights area, spin area and functional zone.

Changing facilities and showers will also be provided, as well as staff facilities.

Ahead of selecting the Warren Retail Park site, other locations were shortlisted across the town by PureGym bosses.

The largest unit looked at was Connect 38 in Dover Place, which offered about 1,115 sq m of floorspace on each floor.

However the applicant states: “Given that this is new, purpose-built office accommodation that has required significant investment from the building’s developers, it would not be suitable for the proposed gym use.

“The existing accommodation would require considerable adaptation and it is unlikely that the proposed use would be compatible with existing office uses or the requirements of future office tenants.”

Spaces in Kent House and Mace Lane were also considered, however bosses said planning policy and the floor’s size on a single level proved to be sticking points.

PureGym currently hosts more than 1.1 million members at its 250 branches.

In Kent, there are already 24-hour outlets in Canterbury, Chatham, Folkestone, Gravesend, Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells.

To view the application, or to leave a comment, search for the 20/00023/AS reference on Ashford Borough Council’s planning portal.

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