Former library to become community gym

Work on the site should start within three years

A former library will be turned into a community gym aiming to boost people's mental health.

The empty building, on High Street in Stanley, County Durham, will become home to the The Wolf Den - Gym & Fitness after proposals were approved.

It has permission to be open from Monday to Saturday and will run gym sessions and classes including boxing, yoga and Pilates.

According to the planning statement, the main focus of the facility would be to "help men, women, boys and girls" to improve their mental and physical health.

Proposals also include running Mental Health Mondays at the site, when accessing the gym and classes would be free "to help bring in people suffering with mental health issues to try and help them".

"It can be a gym session, a class or even just to pop in for a cuppa and talk," the statement added.

The applicant stated they had been running fitness classes for groups of between 10 and 20 people at nearby community centre The Venue since January 2024.

A number of residents had raised noise and traffic concerns about the proposal.

The planning permission advised the venue to provide a welcome pack to new gym members "promoting sustainable travel options such as car sharing".

Work on the new facility should start within three years.

As part of the planning permission, the venue has to provide at least five cycle parking spaces.