No-contract fitness operator The Gym Group is continuing its expansion in the north of England after securing a 21,000 sq ft space for a new gym at the Frenchgate Shopping Centre in Doncaster.

The UK’s only listed gym chain is set to open the new site in November 2016, taking the number of clubs in the company’s UK portfolio to more than 80.

John Treharne, founder and CEO of The Gym Group, said: “Frenchgate offers the perfect town centre location for us. All being well, The Gym Doncaster should be welcoming people through its doors this side of Christmas.”

The securing of the town centre site follows Treharne’s calls for English planning laws to be changed to make it easier for more gyms to be opened in high street locations.

“Planning authorities should be considering the benefit to local people from more gyms on the high street,” he told Health Club Management.

“The bulk of our members come from within five minutes of our sites and particularly where some high streets need regeneration, the fact that we drive high footfall to our sites brings added benefits to other businesses in the same location.”

The Gym Group has continued its aggressive growth this year, having launched six gyms in the first half of 2016 – with a further eight sites currently in fit-out – and says it is on course to achieve its growth target of 15 to 20 openings for 2016 and 2017.

It will announce first full-half results at the end of August.