THE owner of a Helensburgh gym has formally lodged plans with council chiefs to take over a former bank building in the town’s main square.
Personal trainer Steve Losh wants to move The Journey, which is currently situated on the corner of Colquhoun Street and West Clyde Street, into 26 Colquhoun Square.
Plans for the two-storey building, drawn up by Helensburgh-based HMA Architects, show two gyms and a shower area on the ground floor.
The upstairs section is proposed to contain a yoga studio, filming room, staff kitchen, and changing facilities.
The building used to be home to the town’s Bank of Scotland branch, which now uses the modern building behind, originally built as an extension; it last saw use as a nursery.
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The proposals, available to view through Argyll and Bute Council’s online planning portal, are expected to be decided upon by the council by early April.
A brief operational statement by the architects says: “The building was formerly used as a nursery, the change of use is for it to be used as a private gym.
“There will be a maximum of four members of staff on site and they will be parking in existing parking areas within the town centre.
“Any clients will park in the adjacent Argyll and Bute car park.
“The gym’s opening hours will be Monday to Friday 6am to 8pm, Saturday 7am to 4pm, and closed on Sunday.”
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In November, Mr Losh spoke to the Advertiser about his plans to move the facility, which opened at its current seafront premises three years ago.
Mr Losh also said he intended to keep the current premises to use as a wellness centre for mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder and sports therapy.
The Colquhoun Square building has been empty for three years, with Mr Losh describing it as “our dream” to move into it.
It has previously seen occasional use as a campaign base for local political parties and movements, including the ‘Yes’ campaign in Scotland’s independence referendum in 2014.
The Helensburgh “rumour mill” also briefly gave rise to speculation in 2017 that the building might be transformed into a Yates’s Wine Lodge, though that was quickly denied by the pub chain.
Mr Losh’s plans can be viewed on the council website at argyll-bute.gov.uk by entering the planning portal and using the code 20/02342/PP.
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