A former college could become a gym as part of cinema plans in Caversham.

Some readers raised concerns when they read plans from Hermes Property Unit Trust for a new cinema in Caversham to replace a beloved gym.

But a further proposal has now been submitted by Hermes to replace Caversham Health and Fitness Gym, currently based on Church Street and Archway Road, with another gym at a former adult learning centre on the same road.

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The gym and cinema plans are part of a wider scheme approved at the St Martin’s Centre in March 2015 for retail, leisure, housing, public space and a car park.

It is not clear yet whether Caversham Health and Fitness Gym would take up the new space at the former New Directions adult learning centre.

Turley, writing on behalf of Hermes, said the new gym will be “an expansion of the existing gym offer within the district centre responding to the anticipated needs within the local market, whilst supporting the provision of use that will enhance healthy lifestyles and address well-being needs of local people”.

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The gym proposal followed discussions with “a potential occupier”, but Turley have not made clear who this is.

Caversham Health and Fitness Gym was contacted about this but had not responded by the time the story was published.

New Directions most recently operated the building as one of their adult education centres before consolidating its services within Berkshire to its site at Northumberland Avenue, Whitley, Reading.

The centre closed in July 2017.