A SPECIALIST rehabilitation studio based in a business park could be forced to move to a new location.

Retrospective plans to turn a business park unit into a pilates studio in Barrowford are set for refusal following a recommendation from officers at Pendle Council.

Lancashire Pilates Studio, based in suite five Derwent House at Riverside Way business park, has been established for four-and-a-half years after moving from its former premises in Bridgewater House, Nelson.

The site, which is based off junction 13 of the M65, is a protected employment area run by Pendle Council.

The Vantage Court studio is not run as a traditional gym but instead like a physio centre where people with injuries and disabilities come for rehabilitation.

The 10-year-old company, which is owned by Keely Haigh, has now come under scrutiny after it was revealed the owner hadn’t applied for planning permission when she, and her four staff members, moved into the vacant unit back in 2014.

Bosses at the studio said they unaware they needed to apply for planning application because they had not been informed about it by council officers and were only notified when they received a letter of eviction from Pendle Council in June 2016.

Studio bosses said they immediately applied for retrospective planning application following the eviction letter but 18 months later were informed the application had been lost in the planning portal.

Despite receiving support from Barrowford and Western Parishes committee and 198 clients from across Pendle, and applying for retrospective planning permission again, the plans are set to be refused on the basis it does not comply with the council’s long-term employment strategy.

If the proposal is refused, enforcement action would be taken by the council and the occupiers would be forced to move to an alternative location.

Keely’s father Norman Haigh, who owns the suite five building, said: “I have lived in Barrowford for over 50 years and there is not another suitable premises in Barrowford available for the activities that Keely trying to do."

“The work they are doing is built around rehabilitation which is specialised and you can’t get anywhere for over 50 miles."

“Keely and I will be going to this meeting and try to convince the committee we have something that complies with the council’s policy.”

Cllr Linda Crossley, chairman of Barrowford and Western Parishes area committee, is in support of the application and said: “We felt this was not a major departure from the core strategy - it’s just a small pilates studio. It has been used for medical purposes and helps improve the wellbeing of people who use it. There is no problem with parking either as people can park fairly close to it and it’s easy access.”

Barrowford Cllr Ken Turner added: “One sees the benefit the pilates has attracted but one has to make it very clear if this is approved it will be a one off and not a deviation for the other units in the block to detract from the original plans for it.”

A decision will be made during Pendle Council’s policy and resources meeting in Nelson Town Hall tomorrow from 7pm.