BUILDING work of a new gym for a boxing academy in Didcot has commenced this month.
Didcot Boxing Academy was granted planning permission by South Oxfordshire District Council, the planning authority, to build a single-storey box club next to the Marlborough.
Permission was granted for the 15.6m wide building in March by Adrian Duffield, head of planning, who said the works are “acceptable” and would “not have an adverse impact on the established character of the neighbourhood”.
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The building is due to be 4.3m high and will sit behind a blockwork wall to the car park of the Marlborough Club on Broadway.
There will be 10 parking spaces and a bicycle rick for 10 cycles which will be available during the club’s training times.
Director and founder of the club, Kieran Davies, applied for the new gym to “grow with the demand” of the club which is now about four years old and an affiliated club to England Boxing.
His aim is to provide “extra sessions for physically and mentally persons due to wheelchair access” by making the gym easily accessible with no stairs.
He also hopes to run low impact mobility sessions for the elderly, an “affordable summer camp” for working parents, self-defence seminars, and high-level boxing community events.
In addition to “safe, fun, structured boxing sessions”, Mr Davies also hopes to provide assistance with helping to fight knife crime, children and adults with other needs, fitness, defence mechanisms, weight loss, behaviour issues.
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As a result, Sharon Crawford, who is a team leader in the development management department at the planning authority, said the club has proved that it can “meet a local need, be accessible, and provide social inclusion”.
In a decision notice, she said: “The club pride themselves on being full accessible and inclusive. People travel from outside of Didcot to make use of their existing facilities.”
It is estimated more than 300 people will use the gym a week.
Mr Davies said: “This building will provide the academy with the space to grow and hopefully find the next world champion while helping anyone that walks through its doors as we are 100% non-discriminatory.”
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The project is being predominantly funded by individuals at the academy and is hoped to open in November.
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Read more from this author
This story was written by Gee Harland, she joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.
Gee covers Wallingford and Didcot.
Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk
Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland
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