A fitness coach faces having to close his business after enraged neighbours complained over the loud ‘deep bass beats’ coming from his £125,000 home garage he turned into a trendy gym.
Glen Jepson won approval to build the detached garage on a plot of land to the rear of his home in 2019, which he and his ex-partner later turned into a gym to provide one-to-one training sessions to clients.
Since then, the 38-year-old has expanded his business to provide four different types of classes, including increasingly popular Hyrox sessions, taking place between 6.30am and 7.15pm.
The former Royal Navy Engineer has had an outpouring of support from patrons who said his gym, SKWAT, has been a ‘lifeline’ for those in the community. But not everyone agrees.
Elderly neighbours living near the property in the village of Dibden Purlieu, Hampshire, claim they are ‘inundated’ with loud music and cannot hear their TV as a result of the fitness sessions.
Some have even lodged official complaints over the ‘deep, monotonous bass beats’ coming from his gym in their cul-de-sac.
Mr Jepson fears he may have his business closed down because the complaints have led to him having to seek retrospective planning permission.
The personal trainer has rejected claims that his studio is too noisy and said if the gym were to close then this would directly impact his ‘livelihood’ and ‘personal circumstances’.
Fitness coach Glen Jepson (pictured) has enraged his neighbours by playing ‘deep bass beats’ during fitness classes at his home gym
Glen won approval to build the detached garage (pictured behind his house) on a plot of land to the rear of his home in 2019, which he later turned into a modern gym
The gym (pictured) is used by Glen to provide one-to-one training sessions to clients, with four different types of classes, including popular Hyrox sessions
Mr Jepson moved into his home in the New Forest village in 2016.
In 2019, he successfully obtained permitted development rights to build a detached garage on a plot of land to the rear of his home.
The personal trainer, who was then working in the oil industry, constructed the building for £125,000.
In 2020, Mr Jepson and his ex-partner opened SKWAT gym in the outbuilding, where they provided one-to-one training sessions to clients.
As of today, the business currently offers four different types of classes – including Hyrox and female only strength classes – which will take place at a maximum of five times a day between 06.30am and 7.15pm.
Hyrox is an indoor fitness competition that has soared in popularity over the last year, combining eight kilometres of running with eight fitness stations.
Earlier this year, Mr Jepson was approached by a member of New Forest District Council who requested that he apply for planning permission for a change of use of the outbuilding to a gym.
It is understood that this occurred after someone complained to the council about the use of the building.
Mr Jepson is pictured in his gym that he runs from his garden in Dibden Purlieu
The gym is decorated in bright pink neon lights and features a range of state of the art equipment including exercise bikes, squat racks and free weights
Mr Jepson opened SKWAT gym (pictured) with his ex-partner in 2020
Mr Jepson lodged a change of use application, which has attracted both support and objections from locals and patrons of the fitness studio.
Neighbour Jennifer Croxson wrote that the gym is ‘completely inappropriate for a quiet, residential cul-de-sac’.
She said that while noise levels have recently decreased, ‘the deep, monotonous bass beats are still detectable as a feeling through the body making it unpleasant to sit outside when certain gym sessions are taking place.’
Simon and Paula Ince, who live a few doors down from the building, said they have ‘tolerated’ the gym for several years as being a ‘minor annoyance’. But, they said the gym has become more of a problem this year ‘due to loud music’.
In their complaint, Mr and Mrs Ince wrote: ‘On a number of occasions the music with its bass vibrations has been very apparent from our back garden, which is in the opposite corner of the Close…. At the time, we likened it to living near a nightclub.’
Neighbour Susan Harvey, who lives near the gym, wrote that while businesses like SKWAT are good for the community, the location of the gym is ‘not suitable’.
She said: ‘Every evening, and in fact multiple times a day we are subjected to loud music which we can hear over our television from two houses away.
‘My husband and I are both in our 80’s and our television is not quiet, but the music coming from this gym drowns it out as it is at an unacceptable level.’
Mr Jepson constructed the detached garage behind his house for £125,000 after obtaining planning permission to build it in 2019
Mr Harvey also claimed she is ‘unable to get to our house due to people running up and down the road’.
Another neighbour, Robert Wyatt, wrote: ‘Our bedrooms back on to the “gym” and we are awoken by the heavy bass booming from the building from as early as 6.30.
‘You cannot relax in the garden or have a window open without continually hearing this loud continuous bass music.
‘The neighbours should not be inundated constantly with loud music throughout the day.’
Neighbours also alleged that the gym’s patrons will park on the streets, which is an ‘unreasonable burden’ for them.
The application has garnered over 70 supporting comments from locals who spoke of the positive impact the gym has on the community.
Jack Stone, who is a user of the fitness studio, said the objections raised by neighbours is a ‘gross mischaracterisation’ of the noise and alleged disruption caused by the gym.
Julie Medley, who lives in the village of Dibden, described SKWAT fitness studio as an ‘excellent very personal small gym’ which is ‘loved and respected by many’.
Mr Jepson (pictured) said if the gym were to close then this would directly impact his ‘livelihood’ and ‘personal circumstances’
She said the noise of the classes are ‘unobtrusive’ and that the building must be ‘fairly insulated against noise’.
Another Dibden local, Chloe Jones, said she has been attending classes at the studio since it opened in 2020, commenting that SKWAT is ‘a fantastic asset to the local community’.
‘The music has always been considerate and respectful and is always lowered when the doors are opened for [the] beginning or end of classes,’ she said.
Gym owner Mr Jepson said that all instructors are trained in the correct use of the sound equipment, which is ‘pre-set to a maximum volume below legal thresholds’.
He said staff will reduce the volume significantly before and after class times to ‘ensure noise does not cause disturbance when clients are arriving or leaving’.
And, Mr Jepson said that free weights are ‘seldom dropped’, but when the are, the noise outside the building is ‘negligible and barely audible’.
‘The gym’s operations do not generate significant adverse noise impacts on the surrounding environment or neighbouring properties,’ he added.
Mr Jepson said the facility operates on an appointment-only basis with a maximum of 12 clients per session.
He rejected issues raised over parking, and said that he has space for 15 cars on his property.
Mr Jepson claims that the business is playing music loudly all day are false, as they only run a maximum of five classes per day.
Speaking of the application, Mr Jepson said if the business were to shut down, then this would impact his ‘livelihood’ and would affect his ‘personal circumstances’.
Mr Jepson said he will do ‘whatever I can do to fight to make the business stay’ because he has a ‘passion’ about what they do for their clients and local community.
He said: ‘Since its establishment, SKWAT has grown into a valued and well-utilised community asset.
‘It has become a place where individuals of all backgrounds, including shift workers, parents, and those new to exercise, feel empowered to take control of their health.
‘The building itself has been converted to a high standard, maintaining the aesthetic of a domestic outbuilding while functioning internally as a purpose-built fitness space.
‘As outlined in the accompanying Design and Access Statement, the scale, design, and use of the facility are in keeping with the local character and do not detract from neighbouring properties.’
