A 24-HOUR gym is set to move into an empty shop at an Oxford retail park – despite attracting a host of objections.

Oxford City Council has approved plans for the facility at Horspath Driftway Retail Park, which would be run by national operator The Gym Group.

It will occupy the building formerly used by Carpetright, which left in December 2017.

The application was approved in the face of 22 letters of objection, although many of these came from the same property.

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Criticisms included the impact of increased traffic on pollution and parking at the site, while some claimed there was greater need for a children's play facility in the area.

There are also concerns that a proposed extension to the site would be an 'eyesore', with the gym at ground level and changing rooms on the floor above.

But the city council's delegated report states that, 'whilst the proposal could have some impact, this is likely to be limited for reason that the centres provide for wider retail and service uses as well as the local community'.

The building is the retail park's only empty unit, which it shares with an Aldi supermarket, Costa Coffee and Homebase.