Church-turned-gym set to extend car park in Corby town centre

A popular gym that was installed in a Corby town centre church has asked the council for permission to extend its car parking facilities.

The Chapel Gym in Elizabeth Street was opened in the Church of the Epiphany in 2011 in the face of dwindling congregation numbers.

It has proved so popular that the organisation now wants to create a second car park at the rear of the church, off Argyll Street.

The gym is run as a charity by a board of trustees connected to St John’s Church in the Old Village. It gives former offenders a second chance at work and works with a series of local organisations and schools to help people who are struggling to find a new purpose in life.

An application submitted to North Northamptonshire Council would create 18 new parking spaces on land behind the building.

The planning statement says: “The existing car park is too small for the number of people visiting the gym, and this is having a knock on impact in terms of increasing parking demand on the surrounding streets.

“The area of open space immediately adjacent to Elizabeth Street will be retained – ensuring that this pleasant green aspect continues to benefit the site. Low level landscaping around the car park will ensure it blends into the wider site, whilst the provision of a clean, well designed and well maintained car park will remove anti-social parking concerns along Argyll Street that currently have a negative impact on its character.”

The plans are available to view and comment on here.