Plans for Robin Hill gym lodged with Bathurst Regional Council

The plans seek a change of use approval to convert an existing warehouse building into a 348 square metre gym to host morning and afternoon classes.

A Statement of Environmental Effects (SoEE) lodged with the development application notes the gym will not comply with council's standard car parking rules, but seeks a variation based on the times the gym will be in use and the limited number of people who will be inside the gym at any time.

The SoEE says council's car parking rate for an indoor recreation facility is 7.5 spaces per 100 square metres, equating to 26.1 car spaces for a gym of this size. The site's previous use as a factory required only 5.85 spaces.

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"... there would theoretically be a requirement for an additional 20.25 car spaces, which physically cannot be provided," the SoEE states.

"A variation to the car parking requirement is requested in this instance as it is impossible to provide additional car parking spaces on the site.

"It is noted that there is currently 20 car parking spaces provided on site that is shared between the tenancies on the site.

"It is noted that the other tenancies operate within normal business hours of 9am to 5pm (outside of the proposed operating hours of the gym which are 5am to 9am and 4pm to 8pm) - which enables gym clients to park onsite without competition from the customers of existing tenancies."

The SoEE says classes at the gym would be limited to 12 clients and only two staff members would be present at any time, meaning a maximum of 14 cars at any time.

It says the proposed gym would provide "very positive" social and economic impacts and that the proposed change of use for the building would ensure its future viability.

"Operationally, the proposed change of use will generate acceptable impacts as a result of vehicle movements and amenity as discussed previously in this report."

The DA was lodged with council last week.

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