A GYM has applied for a license to open 24 hours a day, leading to concerns about the impact on nearby residents.

Anytime Fitness, in Furtherwick Road, Canvey, has applied to change its current permission to allow it to open around the clock.

It claims that this will not have a big impact on residents and local businesses and would be a benefit to the town.

It is believed there are no other gyms open 24 hours per day on the island.

Planning documents, prepared by Nexus Planning, read: “There is good accessibility to a number of public car parks in Canvey town centre including Oak Road Car Park (located less than 100 metres from the site) which is open 24 hours a day and offers 120 spaces at a charge of 80p for two hours (charging period between 9am and 6pm).

“In addition, the report ‘gym usage’ illustrates extremely low night time usage at existing Anytime Fitness gyms and show that on average over 92 per cent of members use the gym in daytime hours between 5am and 11pm.

“There is no evidence to suggest that this usage pattern would not prevail at the application site and therefore it can be concluded that limited disturbance will arise from users entering and leaving the gym at night.

“Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the proposals represents sustainable development in a highly accessible location.”

The gym does not have its own car park.

Canvey resident Colin Letchford said it seemed a 24-hour gym seemed like an odd concept for the island.

He added: “There are double yellow lines outside of the gym, but I suppose people can park in Oak Road.

“That might not be fair on residents who live in Oak Road when it comes to cars coming and going at all hours, though.

“I personally have no objection to the application, but I can’t imagine a lot of people wanting to go to the gym at three in the morning.

“People are welcome to run around the seawall at all times in the fresh air - and I can give them a litter picker if they like.”