Road safety concerns have seen plans to relocate a gymnastic studio to an industrial unit in Bathgate fall down.
Councillors on the Development Management Committee had no complaints about the use of the space but feared for the safety of the youngsters who are members of the club on the roads around the unit on Blackburn Road.
There were fears that gymnasts would face traffic threats from surrounding businesses including a van hire centre and a vehicle recovery garage.
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Gymtastic Broxburn Limited applied for planning permission for a change of use from a general industry unit (class 5) to a gymnastics club (class 11).
The application site is part of a large industrial area on the south side of Bathgate which also covers the wider Whitehill and Easter Inch industrial estates.
The club is having to move from its present home in Broxburn because of redevelopment. The application was backed up by almost 100 letters of support for the club, many from parents whose children attend the club. They attested to the welfare and benefits the sport and club cultivated among the youngsters attending.
The club had looked for town centre premises but could not find a suitable building in terms of floor space and height needed for the heavy equipment used in the sport.
A spokesman for the club addressed concerns raised by planning officers about parking and pedestrian safety around the unit. He said he had been in negotiations with the owners of the site, and they were prepared to paint parking areas and dedicated walkway areas around the unit to aid the safety of those visiting the club.
Additionally, he argued, that the club would operate mainly after school and in the evenings when traffic around the area was lighter than during the day.
A report to the DMC said: “The proposed use would not integrate well with the surrounding industrial uses and there is insufficient parking provision and lack of marked routes for pedestrians from Blackburn Road which would lead to unacceptable impacts on road and pedestrian safety.”
Councillor Willie Boyle said the car parking was not an issue, given there would be adequate space. Nor did he have an issue with the unit being repurposed for no industrial use.
Councillor Boyle conceded that the heavy haulage operated 24/7 but added: “it's not lorries running in and out all night.”
He added: “The majority of this clubs’s use would be mostly weekends and evenings. The issue of parking is a non starter.”
He pointed out that while gymnastics used to catered for in community halls and other public venues, many of these locations no longer existed and clubs had to have help find suitable premises. The council needed to be a bit more flexible, he suggested.
Chairing the meeting Councillor Stuart Borrowman agreed with councillor Boyle that he had no issues with the location- pointing to a Korean Martial Arts club around the corner.
He said the issue was more about the risk assessment by transport officers in term so pedestrian safety.
He said: “By a narrow margin I’m going to support the [planning] officer’s recommendation and the concern for pedestrians, particularly young children. There’s too much risk for pedestrian safety, especially for young children.”
The committee agreed.
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