Plans have been submitted to demolish the long-standing Fitness Factory gym on Portland Street in Newport and redevelop the site into 8 new homes with on-site parking.
Outline planning permission is being sought for the demolition of the existing buildings at 1A and 1B Portland Street, with proposals to construct a pair of semi-detached, 2-bedroom houses alongside a terrace of 6x 2-bedroom homes.
The application, submitted on behalf of Mr and Mrs Milton, includes a new vehicle access point from Portland Street, 8 on-site parking spaces, and provisions for refuse and cycle storage.
The existing gym building is described in planning documents as dilapidated and no longer economically viable to maintain. While the gym is still operational in a reduced capacity, the applicants argue that the site’s redevelopment would provide much-needed housing while improving the appearance and character of the area.
This new application follows a previous outline approval granted in May 2023, which permitted a similar residential scheme but with a detached dwelling instead of the proposed semi-detached pair. The current scheme makes changes to the design and layout, including a slightly revised access point and adjustments to match the local architectural vernacular more closely.
The new design now submitted has been shaped through feedback from Isle of Wight Council planning staff.
Island Roads has also reviewed the proposals and raised no objection, noting that visibility splays meet minimum requirements and the removal of the commercial gym use may improve local highway safety and on-street parking availability.
Public consultation on the proposal 26/00012/OUT runs until Friday 20th February, with a decision set to be made by 16th March.
Social housing is what the island needs, there are enough
unsold private homes for sale on rightmove.
Looks to me like instead of keep building free homes for the freeloaders,someone needs to prioritise providing some sort of nuclear attack shelters for us poor bastards that are sitting ducks out here. I don’t suppose this shit show has even let it cross their minds, they will make bloody sure that all their arses are well out of the way before some head case presses the button and the whole shit house goes up in flames