A GYM based at an industrial estate fears being forced to move for the second time in a year due to a planning permission wrangle.
The Sugar Rogue gym, that offers Cross Fit and Hyrox workouts and training sessions, is run by not-for-profit operator Thornhill Community Leisure Ltd and for the second time in a year has found itself having to apply for retrospective permission to continue to use an industrial unit as its base.
It only moved to the Springvale Industrial Estate in Cwmbran, in February after Torfaen Borough Council’s planning department demanded it stop using its previous unit at nearby Woodside Park and launched enforcement proceedings over the unauthorised change from industrial use.
Thornhill Community Leisure
Thornhill Community Leisure has now submitted the retrospective application seeking permission to change the use of its current base from “storage and distribution” to D2 permission that covers assembly and leisure. Its application states the existing unit has been vacant since 2017 and a letter from a commercial property agent supporting the change of use, based on a market assessment, has also been provided.
No physical changes to the exterior of the existing building, other than the addition of two bird and bat boxes, are planned but the operators have already kitted out the inside to provide a training areas, the installation of a mezzanine floor, equipment zones, changing facilities and staff spaces.
Velindre Cancer Centre
Its application states the firm has previously worked with the council to offer single sex training sessions and as part of its commitment to supporting the community, helped raise £15,000 for the Velindre cancer charity and even offered a GCSE in weightlifting.
Information submitted with its application states: “The facility runs a number of targeted initiatives, including youth fitness sessions to support early intervention in health inequalities and women only classes to address gender based barriers to participation. The facility also offers a GCSE weightlifting syllabus.
“In early 2024, the organisation partnered with Torfaen County Borough Council’s Sports Development Team to deliver Project X (a free of charge, 10-week fitness and wellbeing programme exclusively for men in the borough).
“Hosted at the Sugar Rogue gym, the initiative combined CrossFit, military style training and mindset coaching to improve participants’ physical and mental health and exemplified the organisation’s ongoing commitment to community-focused health interventions.
£15,000 raised for charity
“In May 2025, Thornhill Community Leisure Ltd. raised £15,000 for the Pink Appeal at Velindre Cancer Centre through a series of community fundraising events, including fitness challenges and sponsored workouts.”
The application explains a retrospective application for its previous location is still undecided but it understands the planning department isn’t in favour of approval due to the loss of designated employment land and concerns over the location of the use, which is considered contrary to both national and local planning policy that promote town centres for retail and leisure use.
According to the application, the operating hours would be from 6am to 8.30pm on weekdays and 8.30am to 11am on weekends and there are already 79 parking spaces associated with the unit while a bike rack with 10 spaces would also be provided.
The application is being considered by the planning department.