Plans have been submitted to turn a former children’s play area at Onchan Park into a gym.

The Dance and Fun Factory, which had welcomed families for around 15 years, closed after Christmas last year.

The premises is owned by Onchan Commissioners and has a varied history. Before becoming The Dance and Fun Factory, the building was used as a squash centre.

Within the building, the area was split into four rooms with a jump zone, soft play, café and dance studio.

The commissioners confirmed earlier this year the site is available to let for £13,500 per year.

But now they have submitted a change of use application to turn the former play area into a gym.

The current layout will remain with four separate rooms but the will all form part of the gym. Within the plans, it does not identify what will be in each room.

It is unclear if the commissioners will run the gym or let it out to another operator.

The operators of the Dance and Fun Factory cited a ‘new job and family commitments’ as the reason for shutting the attraction following the festive period in 2024.

In 2010, the site faced controversy when Onchan Commissioners leased it to the Western School of Dance, leading to the loss of squash courts that many considered among the best in the Isle of Man.

Onchan District Commissioners had invited interested parties to discuss potential uses for the space and said they were keen to see the site brought back into use to complement the park’s existing attractions and serve the wider community.

The application suggests that the opening times for the gym which would be 6am-7.30 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays; 4pm-7pm on Wednesdays, 6am-11am on Saturdays and 9am-1pm on Sundays.

The application will be considered by the planning committee in due course.