Plans approved for huge new 'state-of-the-art' gym to open at empty warehouses in Northampton

Plans, submitted in December 2025, by charitable trust Trilogy Active to open a new 10,000 sq ft gym on Brackmills Industrial Estate have been approved this week.

Approving the plans, a council planning officer said: “Overall, the applicant has demonstrated that the existing use of the site is not economically viable through a robust marketing exercise and that there is demand for the proposed development.

"Furthermore, the proposed development would bring two vacant industrial units back into productive use, generate employment, support local economic activity, and provide community benefits.”

Planning documents show the new gym would be created by converting two vacant units at Scotia Close into a single health and fitness facility.

The application adds that the gym would also support people “with specific health conditions, SEND requirements and older and younger persons”.

Trilogy say the Brackmills site is expected to create between 15 and 20 jobs, including full-time and part-time roles.

Opening hours are planned from 6am to 9pm on weekdays and 7am to 5pm at weekends. Trilogy Active says the hours are designed to support shift workers and office staff based on the Brackmills estate.

The units have been vacant since around August 2024 and have attracted limited interest from industrial or warehouse operators, according to planning papers.

Vehicle access and parking would remain unchanged, with Trilogy Active saying traffic linked to the gym could be “comfortably accommodated”.

In a recent letter to members, Trilogy said the gym will open following the end of its contract to run Danes Camp, Lings Forum and Mounts Baths leisure centres on March 31, 2026.

The organisation told members: “Whilst our work won’t be continuing at these sites, Trilogy Active is very much staying local, moving forward and continuing to be Northampton’s leading health and fitness provider.”

In the letter, they also said their wider local offer would continue, with members still paying the same monthly fee and retaining access to gyms, swimming, classes and racket sports at sites including Duston Sports Centre, Cripps Recreation Centre and Duston School Pool, with public sessions at Weston Favell Pool – where they currently have a swim school – ‘coming soon’.

Last month, Everyone Active was confirmed to run council leisure centres in Northampton and Daventry for the next 10 years, taking over from April 1, 2026, which led to a row between Trilogy and WNC.