Planning officers advised turning down Hove Fitness Club’s application to run its indoor facilities from 6am to 10pm daily. However, members of the committee backed the proposal unanimously after hearing a presentation from Lucille Egan, the 56-year-old company director.
Existing planning conditions mean the site at 2 St Heliers Avenue in Hove cannot open before 7am or close after 7.15pm.
A similar application was dismissed the previous year. That bid would have permitted the same indoor hours alongside an 8am opening for outdoor tennis courts and operating times of 8am to 8pm for the terrace.
Eight local residents raised objections while 39 supportive letters and a 13-page petition were published on the council’s website. Egan indicated that 510 people had put their names to the petition.
Egan characterised the plans as modest and appropriate for the business Hove Fitness took over during 2024.
She highlighted that many other fitness venues nearby begin trading at 6am or sooner, and there are 24-hour gym establishments in residential areas across Brighton and Hove.
She explained that the simple truth is many local residents exercise and work there, and the current restrictions, if enforced, would prevent opening and cause serious damage to the business.
She voiced worries about the company’s survival at that location should members leave.
Noise level assessments showed that activity at the premises at 6am would generate approximately 50 decibels of sound, similar to light rainfall or a refrigerator hum.
Council leader Bella Sankey from the Labour party, representing Wish ward, filed a late submission supporting the earlier opening times.
Sankey noted that this seemed to her a reasonable application given that people generally wish to use gyms first thing in the morning and considering the resolution of the previous terrace matter.
Could the amenity impact and the criteria for assessing the application to modify the condition for opening times of 6am to 10pm be more clearly defined?
Committee members were told that the most recent noise grievance related to music played on a tennis court for 45 minutes during the previous summer.
Egan advised that the business had taken action to stop the noise right away upon receiving the complaint.
Green party councillor Kerry Pickett said she lives near a fitness centre that opens at 6am without creating any problems for residents.
Pickett said she did not fully understand what the issue was. Her impression was that the gym owners were doing everything possible to reduce noise levels and avoid disturbing neighbouring residents.
Labour councillor Sam Parrott said she uses her gym at 5.30am and has never received any complaints from neighbours.
Parrott said she struggled to understand why a refusal was being recommended when the last complaint was submitted nine months ago. That one related to a highly specific event.
If you exclude complaints about highly specific events, the grievances date back a considerable time.
Brighton and Hove Independent councillor Mark Earthey and Labour members suggested requesting a new noise assessment.
Labour councillor Paul Nann, who represents Wish ward, left the meeting before this item was discussed, and Labour councillor Alison Thomson, who chairs the council’s Planning Committee, did not take part in the debate because of her membership at Hove Fitness.