By Megan Stanley

West London residents have expressed anger at plans to turn an empty office next to a nature reserve into a 24-hour gym. Locals have said the plans risk threatening their peaceful way of life and upsetting the protected wildlife nearby.

Nexus Planning, on behalf of Anytime Fitness, has submitted plans to Ealing Council. The vacant space is part of the modern development next to Gunnersbury Triangle Natural Reserve.

The green space was saved from development in the early 1980s and is still enjoyed by locals thanks to the ponds and grassland areas. It is home to a number of species including bats, sparrowhawks, hedgehogs, and toads.

Now, Anytime Fitness wishes to introduce a gym that will be accessible at any time of the day. There will be three permanent staff members, who will work at the space from 8am until 8pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am until 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Hounslow Councillor, Joanna Biddolph, who represents the Chiswick Gunnersbury ward has written to Ealing Council to oppose the plans. Cllr Biddolph writes: "It is wholly inappropriate for a 24/7 gym to overlook this nature reserve as there will inevitably be light pollution over the nature reserve, affecting its local ecology and especially its bat population.

"As you know, all bat species are protected. They are nocturnal and turning the nature reserve into a lit area at night will undoubtedly disrupt resident bats, driving them away. There is a very high risk that this habitat might be lost.

"The fact that it will operate 24/7 means that there will be noise and light pollution from people arriving in cars throughout the night. Given that there is so little parking nearby, it is inevitable that users will park in roads in Chiswick Gunnersbury ward – disturbing residents of those roads in the ward I represent. This is unacceptable.

"Further, with several gyms in Chiswick Gunnersbury ward – and some very close to this one – I can advise that most of them are struggling for customers. There is no evidence that there is a need for another gym in Chiswick. I do not believe it is viable. I urge you in the strongest of terms to refuse this application."

Nearby residents have expressed their concerns to Ealing Council that the 24-hour gym will ruin the tranquillity of the area. A total of 100 people have objected to the plans in the public comments.

A person who lives in Edmunds house said: "I also take concern with the general nature of the fact that the gym will be in constant 24-hour use. This is a quiet and calm residential area. Parking, foot traffic and general usage will impact and be heard from our flat, let alone anyone else on our floor. I also am worried about the increase of cars stopping off or picking up people in the courtyard that is already busy and overused."

Another resident of Edmunds House said: "Gunnersbury wildlife preserve is a rare scene to view from all of the balconies, it soothes the mind. We appreciate the silence and the beauty of the forest at night, it will be disturbed by light pollution. Please don't take it away.

"Last winter the light sensor went on in the proposed space. A few times in the evening it was triggered, our living room was illuminated. It was extremely uncomfortable."

Those who visit the nature reserve have also expressed their opposition. One person said: "It is sad a little area of nature is being squeezed out. The increase in noise and light over the area will disturb the natural habitat. Do we really need another gym in the area?"

Another said that the plans were "appalling" and added: "At present [it] is a haven of peace and quiet for a wide range of resident wildlife. In particular, it is home to at least two protected bat species whose night-time environment will be severely disrupted with light pollution and noise from a 24-hr facility."

In the planning documents, Anytime Fitness has said that approximately 4 per cent of its members choose to work out between the hours of 11pm and 6am. Gym technology shows that there is rarely more than one person in the space during those hours.

Acknowledging any potential noise, the planning application says: "The standard Anytime Fitness Specification includes a number of measures to minimise any disruption to neighbouring occupiers. These include:  No loud bass beats typically associated with most gyms, rather, the proposed gym will have low-volume background music playing throughout.

"Moreover, in keeping with the Anytime Fitness model, gym users will be encouraged to use their own personal headsets. All the cardiovascular equipment has individual television screens and members wear headphones to listen to the sound."