Plans to create a new gym in a north-east town centre could be rejected – because people trying to keep fit will have nowhere to park their cars.
The disused net storage building in Fraserburgh’s Denmark Street could be transformed into a gym.
The proposals will be discussed at the Banff and Buchan area committee on Tuesday after councillors asked to discuss the parking situation.
And now planning chiefs are now urging members to reject the gym as proposed by Banff firm Mantell Ritchie.
The gym, which would be created adjacent to a vehicle repair base, would only create five parking spaces within the site.
Another 13 on-street spaces are proposed, while seven would be provided through a third-party site at a nearby nightclub.
Ten letters of support from members of the public have been submitted.
In one, local woman Leah Slessor said she was behind the development “100,000%”.
“Myself as a person who loves fitness would like to see more gym facilities in Fraserburgh,” she added.
Kris Wiseman, who also lives locally, wrote: “This is a fantastic idea – it’s a more central gym inside the ever-growing town that I live in. I think this would help the younger age groups stay off the streets.”
Stephen Archer, the council’s director of infrastructure, however, has argued the facility would result in a loss of employment land.
“It has not been sufficiently demonstrated that the proposed use would be provided with an adequate standard of access,” he said in his report.
“It is acknowledged that the gym would provide some employment to people, however under the local development plan a gym is not considered to be an employment proposal.”
He added that the lack of parking spaces within the site “could lead to a road safety implication”.
If the gym is supported by councillors on Tuesday, the plans would go for final approval at the infrastructure services committee.