Ballymena: Approval for gymnastics academy at business park after council decision overturned
An appeal against a decision by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council to refuse permission for retention of change of use of an industrial unit to a gymnastics academy has been allowed by the Planning Appeals Commissions.
The premises are located at 57-65 Moorfields Business Park, Moorfields Road, Ballymena.
The Planning Appeals Commission said: “The appeal is allowed and full planning permission is granted unconditionally.”
In his report, Commissioner Kevin Gillespie explained: “The main issue in this appeal is whether the appeal development is acceptable in principle in the countryside.”
He noted that Moorfields Business Park contains six single-storey light industrial units. Mr Gillespie said: “The appeal development seeks the retention of the retrospective change of use of units one and two from light industrial use to a gymnastics academy which is operated by Lifestyle Gymnastics Academy Community Interest Company.”
He added the facility comprises an entrance area and associated shoe racks, a separate restroom, lobby, meeting/waiting/viewing room and toilets, a storage room and a gymnastics ‘arena’.
The arena contains apparatus including a sprung floor, measuring 13m x 11m in area, a vault runway and associated vault table, a pommel horse, parallel and asymmetric bars, rings and high and floor beams.
It was noted Lifestyle Gymnastics Academy CIC (LGA), was established in 2017. It is a not-for-profit enterprise which has 430 to 450 members/weekly participants.
LGA provides gymnastics coaching and related fitness activities and education initiatives for participants of pre-school age to adults and has five part-time workers.
The report said previously, LGA had studio space at Pennybridge Industrial Estate, in Ballymena, from January 2017 until March 2020 and also utilised the school gym hall at Ballymena Academy between April 2018 and August 2022. It was noted the new location is a “British approved” gymnastics venue.
The Commissioner said: “The appellant contended that planning gain has resulted from the reuse of a redundant commercial building to an academy which encourages and promotes sport and active lifestyles.”
Mr Gillespie also stated he is “satisfied that it is an appropriate ‘sport’ for the purposes of policy”. “I was not provided with any persuasive evidence by the council that the development generates high levels of noise.
"Given also that no persuasive evidence was provided that it causes any disturbance to people living nearby or to livestock and wildlife and that it does not conflict with the enjoyment of environmentally sensitive features and locations or areas valued for their silence and solitude, accordingly, it complies with this part of the policy,” the commissioner reported.
He also noted: “The council’s objection would not have been sustained because no sequentially preferable sites exist within the proposal’s whole catchment.
“The appeal building lay vacant from when it was constructed in April 2019 until the date of occupation by LGA in 2022, so there is some merit in this argument in terms of regenerating an empty building.”
“There are no objections to the appeal development pertaining to its impact on rural character or amenity,” he added.
“I note that the appeal development supports employment, re-uses an existing building and there is no objection relating to its impact on rural character or to the loss of any economic development land.”
Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter