A NEW 24-hour gym in Irvine’s Riverway Retail Park has been approved by planning chiefs.

The Gym, which has 170 outlets across the UK including Ayr and Kilmarnock, are now set to move into the former Poundworld site, which has been vacant since June 2018.

A planning application to change the use of the unit from retail to a gym/health and fitness centre was approved late last month.

The application stated: “The concept is based around a no-frills principle where clubs contain a large selection of (usually market leading) equipment with the items which are expensive to operate and maintain, such as swimming pools, saunas or studios not provided as part of the offer.

“Only 9.29 per cent of visits are made between the hours of 11pm and 6am.

“Due to the nature of the gym use members attending between these hours tend to do so on an individual basis, rather than as part of groups, and comprises those working shifts, such as emergency service personnel.

“As such, the potential for any impact in terms of noise and disturbance during these hours is limited and the extended hours of operation of the unit would not result in additional harm to the amenity of adjoining neighbouring or surrounding properties.”