A PERSONAL trainer will be allowed to use her home garage as a gym for one-to one classes with conditions.
Emma Quinn had previously asked a council to issue her a certificate to confirm use of the garage as a personal training studio would be lawful.
But that was refused, prompting Mrs Quinn to submit a planning application to allow the use of the residential garage at her home at Sycamore Crescent in Henllys, Cwmbran as a private one-to-one personal training studio.
Torfaen Borough Council planner Caroline Pulley said the application could be approved with conditions tying its use to the owner/occupier of the house, which is Mrs Quinn, with only one client allowed on the premises at one time.
A maximum of only four customers a day will be allowed to visit the gym with opening hours restricted to 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday, with no use allowed at all on Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays.
In her application, Mrs Quinn said the studio would be exclusively for women and would also offer support relating to menopause, bereavement and general well-being as well as fitness.
Her application demonstrated her drive can accommodate up to four cars and one space would be dedicated for clients while there would be a minimum of 30 minutes between each client visiting.
Ms Pulley’s report, which approved the application, noted the council’s highways department said the number of vehicles calling at the home was unlikely to be any more than “typical residential activity”.
Highway officers did, however, question if the use would result in the loss of a parking space in the garage but Ms Pulley said there would be adequate parking available and stated: “The loss of the garage for parking in this case, would not justify the refusal of planning permission.”
The garage will be fitted with rubber gym flooring while rubber-coated weights will be used which would further minimise potential noise and there are no external changes. No music will be played during workout sessions and a portable air conditioning unit will be used rather than opening windows during warm weather.
Exercise equipment will primarily consist of dumbbells, a compact cable machine, and bodyweight exercises.
As a result Ms Pulley said any noise disturbance would most likely result from conversations between Mrs Quinn and her clients and them leaving or arriving.
She stated: “The scale of the proposed use, which is limited to the size of a single garage, the impact from comings and goings and vehicular movements would not be so severe to cause an unacceptable impact on neighbouring amenity.”
A register of appointments will also need to be kept at the premises and be made available for inspection by the planning department to ensure compliance with the conditions.