Newport exercise studio opening hours extended despite 'noise' objections
An exercise studio in Newport has been allowed to open from 8am at weekends, despite noise complaints from nearby residents.
The Body Barn, on Moorfield Lane, was granted retrospective planning permission in 2018 to convert an agricultural barn into an exercise studio.
Telford & Wrekin Council has now approved an application for the exercise studio to open from 8am on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays – one hour earlier than previously agreed.
Residents of the nearby Cowslip Acres and Church Aston Parish Council both objected to the extension of opening hours after voicing noise complaints.
“Church Aston Parish Council strongly object to the early opening hours during the weekend,” said the parish council in their objection.
“Owners of the local residential properties near the Barn have voiced concerns that the noise during week days can be heard every morning in a negative way,
“We believe residents should not be subjected to such noise so early at weekends and question if it is really necessary to open so early?”
Richard Evans, resident of Cowslip Acres, objected and said that neighbouring properties had to ‘endure’ loud music and microphone instructions from 6.30am on weekdays until the evenings.
Another resident of the neighbouring housing estate, Rob Fradgley, complained about the ‘constant bass music’ from the former agricultural building.
“Residents living in the area should be able to sit in their gardens or open their windows in the summer and enjoy a quiet life and not be constantly bombarded with bass music and shouting from the farm building seven days a week,” he added.
The council’s highway department did not object to the proposal but commented raising ‘concerns’ about Moorfield Lane being a single-track road with ‘minimal passing places which was not designed to cater for such a facility’.
“Although the change in hours is minimal in regards to the current hours of operation, the increase will raise the chances of a future collision on the road should there be an increase in the number of trips generated,” they added in their comment.
In approving the application, a planning officer for Telford & Wrekin Council highlighted that the Body Barn is within the grounds of a working farm which has no restriction on hours of working
“It is considered that allowing the Body Barn to open one hour earlier on weekends and public holidays will not have a significant impact on the amenities of the neighbouring residential properties,” they concluded.
The planning officer said that when plans were approved for the exercise studio there was no condition imposed regarding amplified music.
“As this is not a new standalone application and is an amendment to a specific condition, officers cannot impose a condition regarding amplified noise now,” the planning officer added.
The planning officer said that any complaints regarding noise from the Body Barn should be reported to the council’s environmental health specialists. They added that no official complaint has been made about the Body Barn to the council’s environmental health specialists.
It was concluded that while the highways authority had made comments about the application they had not ‘formally objected’.
“Therefore, there is no technical reason to refuse the application,” concluded the planning officer.
The Body Barn have been asked for a response about the noise concerns raised by neighbouring residents.
