A JOBS boost could be on the way if a gym owner gets permission to relocate his business.

Fitness Experience, a personal training centre based at The Stables, Manchester Road, Burnley, is lining up a move to Empire Business Park off Liverpool Road in the town.

The gym, owned by Jamie Kennedy, has eight full-time employees and is said to be at capacity.

If planning permission is given, Mr Kennedy intends to take on seven full-time staff plus a part-time worker.

His application, to change the use of Unit 6C at Empire Business Park from industrial to a fitness facility, is with Burnley Council.

It states: “Fitness Experience has serviced Burnley for over six years and has seen over 1,000 local people benefit from specialist services which include personal training, injury and rehabilitation, athletic development, GP referral, ante and post-natal fitness, stress management, weight loss, fitness, yoga and Pilates, disabled fitness support, amputee training, team training, corporate wellbeing, youth development, nutritional support and much more.

“The applicant has spent six years developing a family business from nothing into what it is today and their reputation and success stories speak for themselves.

“Clients include a vast array of Burnley business owners and fellow Bondholder members, a number of whom have submitted letters of support.”

The documents add: “The business is currently at capacity in terms of clients, and the current premises can offer no further room to expand and support more clients.

“It is impossible to sustain the business under these terms, and the business has been forced to make the decision to either move location or stop providing the service to the community that has been highly regarded over the past six years.

“Over the past three years the applicant has worked closely with Burnley Bondholders and the council’s business development and regeneration team in trying to locate suitable premises for the company to relocate to.

“However, with the exception of the application site, no other suitable property has been identified.”

The application added: “A material consideration is that the proposed development would provide eight additional jobs whilst retaining the existing eight jobs.”

Mr Kennedy said the application process was in a very early stage and added that he wanted the gym to remain in Burnley.

He said: “It’s all in the very early stages and this is one of very many sites we have looked at over the years.

“Our main focus is to stay in Burnley. We want to continue to remain in Burnley as part of the town.”

Councillor will make a decision on the application at an upcoming planning meeting.