A THRIVING gym run by a champion female body builder and her Taekwondo instructor husband is under threat due to plans to create 23 new flats above Sainsbury's in Bingley.

Anna and Philip Millington-Downing have run Amazon Natural Fitness with its 240 members in the top floors of Arden House, Main Street, since 2013.

But last week a planning scheme on behalf of the building's owner High Point Estates was lodged with Bradford Council to convert the upper ground, first and second floors into a pair of one bed studios and 21 single bed apartments with refuse and cycle storage facilities.

Mr Millington-Downing said they were surprised by the plan and had yet to inform all their staff.

"We have only ever been on a short term lease, which was fine so long as we'd be given enough time ahead of any changes.

"Whenever we've contacted the building managers about the future they've always said there were no plans.

"Then the next minute this application has gone in.

"Some of our staff are on holiday and so we'll have to have a big talk about it - if we can find somewhere else to go, then of course we will be taking them with us if the development goes ahead."

Mrs Millington-Downing came second in last year's Natural Body Building Federation world championship held in the USA and stressed the appeal of their approach to fitness.

"This is a mid-market gym which is clean and free of drugs and where no-one ever feels intimidated.

"We have a full age range from 16 to 70 years

"And it's not really profit making for us and we both have full-time jobs.

"It's something we enjoy running, and there's nowhere like it in Bingley. The Council gym at the swimming pool does not offer our standard of equipment or advice on training and nutrition.

"What we'd really love is to take over the old Bingley court house, live in the upstairs and turn the ground floor into a gym.

"But our negotiations haven't got anywhere, because no-one seems to know what's happening to it.

"But now we're really are faced with the option of finding somewhere new or just selling off all our machines and equipment, which would be heartbreaking," Mrs Millington-Downing said.

The planning application states the exterior of the Victorian building will remain unchanged apart from new double glazing.

Ward Councillor David Heseltine said it was always better to have a building fully occupied, either for business or accommodation.

"I can see it would be an ideal spot for those commuting to Leeds or Bradford, of a morning, you'd simply fall out of bed and onto the railway station."

The agent acting on behalf of High Point Estates declined to comment.