Fear plan to turn closed Sports Direct Fitness, in Bury St Edmunds, into a builders’ merchant could hit town’s economic growth
Plans to turn a closed Bury St Edmunds sports, fitness and swimming facility into a builders’ merchant could undermine the town’s economic growth and employment opportunities, it is feared.
But agents behind the bid to transform the former Sports Direct Fitness, in Easlea Road, have defended the scheme, saying similar change of use applications have been allowed elsewhere, while the proposed builders’ merchant would create jobs.
Sports Direct Fitness has been boarded up since it closed suddenly in August 2023 to the dismay of its members, who had earlier campaigned against a different planning application to turn it into a shop.
In July, a change of use application was submitted by Nectar Asset Management Ltd to turn the facility into a builders’ merchant and install a 2.4 metre fence.
The proposal has prompted several objections, with concerns raised over the loss of the leisure facilities – particularly the swimming pool – and the glut of builders’ merchants in the immediate area.
Meanwhile, DIY store Homebase, also in Easlea Road, is earmarked for closure after the company collapsed into administration last month.
West Suffolk economic development, in objecting to the proposal, said: “There is a shortage of employment land and space in Bury. This property is part of that stock. It is essential that all opportunities to support the economic growth of the town and general employment are not undermined.
“Economic development recognises that a use coming forward for a vacant unit within the general employment area should be considered carefully to judge the economic benefits for the area. However, we are concerned at a pattern of loss of commercial units to businesses which would usually fall outside of the uses in a commercial area. This would include a builders’ merchant, as it will still cater for general public and in our view is very similar to retail.
“We are seeing a significant shortage of commercial units for general employment purposes on the industrial and commercial areas across West Suffolk and believe overall this will negatively impact growth across the district.”
In a response, Dan Hewett of planning agents Wilson Wright LLP, said: “The proposed change of use will create an employment use, that is a fact. This cannot logically be seen to result in the loss of the site from the district’s employment land stock.
“The existence of other builders’ merchants within the town’s existing employment sites underlines the unfounded and contradictory nature of the economic development team’s comments.”
The builders’ merchant planning application is still being considered by West Suffolk Council, with no date set for its consideration at committee.
In September, objectors against the scheme called for the district council to take on the lease and running of Sports Direct Fitness.
The 18,000sqft Sports Direct Fitness complex, which has 131 car parking spaces, is listed for rent by agents Colliers for £22,528 per month, or £270,336 per year.
