A new health and fitness club is due to open in the former Carpetright outlet near Bury town centre.
Kings Gym is set to occupy the building after Bury Council approved a change of use for the Moorgate Retail Park facility.
The other four units in the park are occupied by Home Bargains, Halfords, Farmfoods, and KFC.
Documents supporting the application read: “The Charities Property Fund, apply for planning permission to allow floor space within Unit B at
Moorgate Retail Park to be used as a health and fitness club.
“The app is made for easy reuse by a new tenant, Kings Gym.
“The unit is approximately 10,000 square feet and is a long-term vacancy following cessation of previous use following Carpetright’s closure in 2018.
“Moorgate Retail Park is an established retail destination within Bury city centre.
“The units in the business park are configured around a central parking lot that includes provisions for approximately 280 vehicles (11 of which are reserved for use by customers with physical disabilities).
“The proposal is a positive proposal that will allow a long-term vacant unit in Bury town center to be reoccupied so that it can contribute to the local economy.”
In April 2018, Carpetright announced that it would close the Moorgate outlet under a company voluntary agreement.
Before approving the plans, Bury Council received representation raising concerns about the parking lot’s impacts on local residents and customers of the other shops within the complex.
They stated that the parking lot is already often full and highlighted the potential impact of late-night car movements beyond the closing times of existing business units.
An official planning report on the application concluded that the change in use would “support the role and function of Bury town center without detriment to road safety or residential amenities”.
