Plans for a new 24-hour gym beneath a block of flats have been approved despite noise fears.

Adur District Council gave the scheme the green light to change the use of part of the retail unit on the ground floor of Mariner Point, Shoreham, into an Anytime Fitness.

The proposal racked up 74 objections from those living in the building, in Brighton Road.

Mariner Point Residents’ Association objected citing noise concerns.

“This will produce vehicle movements, and other noisy events, through the night, which will create a disturbance for residents, particularly those occupying the flats above the proposed development, and in Mariner Point generally,” the group wrote in its objection letter.

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“MPRA object to 24-hour operation at the proposed development. In addition, the premises would be lit throughout the night, causing light pollution.

“No proposal is included in the application to mitigate the noise and disturbance from the gym. A gym is a noisy environment, in which motivational music is played at volume, weights are dropped, participants socialise, etc. The applicant makes no proposals to monitor or mitigate noise and disturbance.”

Mariner Point resident Robert Cleeves feared the gym would cause “huge noise pollution” and parking issues.

Some 15 car parking spaces are proposed to be reserved for the users of the gym at the front of the building.

“There is a gym across the road so there is clearly no immediate need for a gym in this part of Shoreham,” he said.

Fellow resident Joy Connell said parking is already a problem in the area.

“My main objection is due to noise disturbances especially as 24-hour operation proposed in a residential property,” she said.

“Parking and access especially for emergency vehicles is already a problem. There is insufficient space for residents now let alone gym users in addition to those using the dental practice.”

A report presented to councillors said Adur and Worthing Councils’ environmental health officer had no objection to the plan provided the noise mitigation proposed in the acoustic report was implemented.

It also said highways did not consider the proposal would have an “unacceptable impact on highway safety or result in ‘severe’ cumulative impacts on the operation of the highway network”.