Children’s health club operator The Little Gym will open its fifteenth site in Bishop’s Stortford, Essex, next month.

The chain has secured planning permission for a 4,000 sq ft site in the town centre and will offer its curriculum-based gymnastics programme at the centre.

Originating from the US, programme offers evolves with each stage of a child’s cognitive and motor skills development and is available for children of all abilities from 4 months to 12 years.

The Little Gym currently has over 300 locations in 19 countries, including fourteen UK franchises – with five currently open in Chiswick, Hampton Hill, Wandsworth, Sutton Coldfield and Stoke, and a further nine due to open within the next 12 months.

The site at Bishop’s Stortford opens on 21 April and Bev Regan, UK manager of the chain expects around 50 sites to be in operation within the next five years.

“At a time when children’s health is at the forefront of government policy and everyone’s minds, there’s a great need for facilities like The Little Gym,” said Regan.

“Unlike many mobile or adult health clubs, The Little Gym locations are bright, colourful purpose-built sites.”

The cahin is operated on a franchise-basis and each centre costs around £250,000 to open.