A former gym in central Ipswich which has lain vacant for more than a decade is set to be converted into flats.
The former Gym & Trim site, in Lower Orwell Street, will be converted into a mix of 16 two- and one-bed flats after plans received unanimous approval from Ipswich Borough Council’s planning committee.
It will see the building extended, with new windows installed, while the car park will be reconfigured to accommodate 17 spaces.
The site had previously been vacant since the gym closed in the early 2000s, before its move to a unit in Cardinal Park – which itself closed in 2011 when the business went into liquidation.
A successful planning application had been submitted for the Lower Orwell Street branch after its closure, although the vision to convert the building into accommodation for 124 students was never realised.
Permission for the latest application has been granted subject to a Section 106 agreement, requiring the developers to contribute more than £200,000 to local causes.
Construction will be led by Ipswich-based contractors Aspen Build (East Anglia).