It has been given the go ahead to open the fitness centre next to a new sports shop on the site of the former Focus store at Phoenix Parkway shopping centre.

It is to close the store it has there to make way for the new venture in the vacant unit alongside Next.

There will be 25 full-time members of staff and 25 part-time positions at the complex.

A joint planning application by JJB and Peel Investments, the Manchester-based firm which runs the shopping complex, was approved by Corby Council this week.

JJB said the new club will help make improvements to some of Corby's health problems.

A spokesman for the company said: "There is a desperate need to reverse the decline in the general health of the population.

"This need is particularly acute in Corby which ranks consistently poorly in health indicators on a regional and national level.

"Many people in the local community would benefit from the low cost fees that JJB charge for health club membership.

"There are no comparable private health and fitness facilities which are available to people living in the town.

"The site is ideally placed to provide much-needed, quality, modern health and fitness facilities to a local population without any
requirement to travel by private car."

The complex will include a 20m swimming pool and steam room, cardiovascular area, weights, a dance studio, a resistance area and a
spinning area.

Membership fees are designed to be relatively cheap, with a peak pass costing £36 a month, off-peak £26 and £20 for students and senior citizens.

The club would be on the ground floor of the JJB store. The company has 43 fitness centres.

Andrew Rooney, 23, from the Exeter estate, said: "It sounds brilliant. It's about time Corby had something like this. I think it will be really good and it sounds cheap."