Empty factory set to host gym and padel centre

A city neighbourhood is set to get a new 24-hour gym after planning permission was granted.

D1 Gyms will occupy part of the old Meco factory in St John's, Worcester, which has been empty since the previous owners, the Japanese engineering firm Komatsu, moved out in 2023.

Plans for the gym were revealed in September and approved by members of the city council's planning committee on Thursday.

Councillor Richard Udall, who represents the ward, said: "I think what is being proposed is a good scheme, even though I will not be joining the gym myself under any circumstances."

Agent William Radburn-Todd said the site would have a security guard present 24 hours a day as well as CCTV monitoring and an automatic number plate recognition monitoring system to log vehicles entering and exiting.

"The gym will have dedicated parking with a tablet for people to log their registration details," he added.

Councillor Jenny Barnes said the presence of 24-hour security was "reassuring for residents" and hoped contact details could be passed to nearby neighbours at some point in the future.

Separately, plans have been submitted for a new padel centre on the same site.

Project Padel Ltd wants to build four courts next to the new gym.

The site has a rich history and was bombed by a lone German aircraft on 3 October 1940.

The bombing, in which seven people died, also destroyed a number of houses and was the only attack to cause a loss of life in Worcester during World War Two.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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