Trampoline park scheme bounced into touch by planners

A controversial scheme to convert a Birmingham industrial unit into a new trampoline park has been rejected by planners.

Birmingham City Council’s planning committee was told the plan for a large unit in Wood Lane, Erdington, was unsuitable because it would mean a loss to the area of potential employment land.

However, councillors on the committee also supported calls by the Health and Safety Executive to reject the scheme because of the proximity to the unit of a large scale petrol storage facility.

Alrea 51 Trampoline Park Ltd had proposed the conversion of the 2,233 sqm warehouse to accommodate the leisure use.

It said the unit would be converted to accommodate 2,166sqm of leisure use while a mezzanine level would be installed for a cafe, seating area and viewing gallery. The site was thought capable of accommodating up to 35 trampolines, together with basketball courts and an air bag jump. A Ninja Warrior Course was also proposed, including a climbing wall, together with a separate soft play area.

The applicant had said the scheme would create 10 full time jobs and 20m part time roles. The site would be in operation between 10am to 10pm daily.

The site had previously been used as a car sales business although it did have a storage and distribution use.

However, the council said the unit was within an established commercial area which includes major employers such as Jaguar Land Rover and Bromford Industries. The Fort Shopping Park is also close by.

Aside from the loss of potential employment land and the Esso storage facility at Wood Lane and Bromford Gate, the council said the insufficient time had been given to the marketing of the site.

The council said a study by the applicant had failed to fully consider other units elsewhere.