Thursday, July 30, 2015

News: JUMP INC. plans Rotherham facility

A former parcel depot in Rotherham could be converted into an "urban playground" with wall to wall connected trampolines, if plans are approved to change the use class of an empty building.

A planning application has been submitted which would enable a 22,000 sq ft unit at Parkgate Business Park to be used for leisure uses. Applicants, Future Leisure Ltd is hoping to open its flagship "JUMP INC." trampoline park in Rotherham and another facility at Meadowhall is also being planned - offering 170 interconnected trampolines, trampolines up the walls, air bags, basketball, dodgeball and fitness facilities.

Royal Mail Group's express parcels business, Parcelforce Worldwide, opened its new depot in Rotherham at the end of 2013. The UK and International parcel delivery service took over the 152,421 sq ft distribution unit at the Magna 34 development at Templeborough. Increasing job numbers, it is about seven times the floor space of the previous site on Parkgate Business Park.

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The vacated unit has been empty since the relocation and the plan is to reconfigure the unit back to its original two subdivided units. In addition to the trampoline areas, the plans, drawn up by Coda Planning, also show function rooms, a café, offices and a mezzanine viewing gallery. A new pedestrian link to Rotherham Road is also proposed.

Opening 8am till 10pm every day, it is estimated that the peak number of visitors will be around 8,000 per month.

A total of 22 staff is proposed as part of the facility. Around 16 part time staff and six full time staff.

The first indoor trampoline park opened in 2004 in Las Vegas and they have been gaining in popularity ever since. The International Association of Trampoline Parks estimates that by the end of this year there will be more than 550 indoor trampoline parks open worldwide.
As the site is not located within a designated town, district or local centre, officers at Rotherham Council have asked that a sequential test assessment be undertaken in line with national and local planning policies. Sequential tests ensure that development is located in the most sustainable location first (usually in town centres), before other, less sustainable locations are chosen.

After assessing the potential for sites across the borough that are designated for mixed used and leisure uses, the applicant concludes that none in preferable locations fit the criteria for indoor trampoline parks that need large buildings with interrupted indoor space with high eaves.

The plans also conclude that "the likely impact on the surrounding road network in terms of highways, access or parking will not present any reason for refusal."

The proposals are the latest in leisure uses being sought for industrial buildings in Rotherham. Local social enterprise, Team Katalyst recently converted Unit 1, The Summit on Barbot Hall Industrial Estate into its Performance Centre which includes the country's largest indoor freerunning and Parkour park.

JUMP INC. website

Images: Commercial Property Partners

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