PLANS to use a former furniture store at Crewe's Grand Junction Retail Park as a 24/7 gym have been questioned by councillors.

Cheshire East Council has received an application for the removal and reinstatement of a mezzanine floor space for new tenants at the former Sofology store on Grand Junction Way.

Planning documents submitted by landlords Savills on behalf of UBS Global Asset Management (UK) Limited suggest that the 1,465 sq.m of floor space will be turned over for use as a gym with facilities on the ground floor and a new mezzanine.

But Crewe Town Council has objected to the application for a certificate of lawful proposed use saying the plans represent "anti-social development" because of the round-the-clock operations and the lack of information about the intended use.

Town Council Clerk Peter Turner described the plans as a "little vague" at the authority's planning committee this week and councillors agreed there could be a potential impact on residential properties near to the retail park.

It is the latest application in Crewe to convert former retail units into a gym facility. PureGym has earmarked vacant premises at the former MFA Lakeside Bowl at the Phoenix Leisure Park for a similar 24/7 operation.

The leisure firm has applied to the borough council to have the opening hours at the leisure park amended as they prohibit tenants operating between the hours of 1am and 9am. Its application is yet to be determined.

The potential siting of new gyms at the bowling alley and the former Sofology store could offset the loss of Total Fitness, which closed its Macon Way gym at the end of August after being served notice by its landlord.

It is not known whether Total Fitness may be considering a relocation in Crewe.

Meanwhile, of the site Savills says its proposed tenant "intends to operate from the floorspace 24 hours a day, seven days a week".

And it says there are no planning conditions tied to the permission granted for the building in 1994 when the retail park was built which would impose limitations on operating hours.

Savills adds: "The premises and the wider Grand Junction Retail Park is located within a commercial area. There are no residential or other sensitive receptors in close proximity to the site and the proposed use will not give rise to any unacceptable impacts on surrounding amenity."

But Crewe Town Council's planning chairman, Cllr John Rhodes, said: "I don't think it's appropriate to have a 24/7 operation on a retail park. We should query why this needs to be 24/7."

And Cllr Dennis Straine-Francis said: "We need more information and we should send this planning application] back until we do."

• Town councillors have also raised objections to plans to convert a HMO at 261 Nantwich Road into a children's care home.

Cheshire East Council has received details of a change of use of a ten-person tenanted home to a care home for four young people.

But councillors are concerned the immediate area is not suitable for rehousing vulnerable youngsters as it has been subject to a Public Protection Order area associated with anti-social behaviour and drug dealing.

Cllr Marilyn Houston said: "I'm appalled they're putting vulnerable young people here on Nantwich Road. It's an area in Crewe that has regular policing operations directed at drug dealers. It would not be the best environment for them."