A ground-breaking new sport and fitness centre in Stevenston has brought a disused, 22 thousand square foot, empty building back to healthy life – thanks to the support of Irvine Bay Regeneration Company.

The regeneration company provided £30,000 to bring the building at the entrance to Stevenston Industrial Estate to good letting condition – which leveraged major investment of over £300,000 by the users of the building, market-leading sports and fitness conditioning operators Maximum Potential.

Their work on the building and the setting up of their business – which opened earlier this year – has seen the creation of around a dozen full and part-time jobs.

The facility also helps to pull visitors in to Ayrshire from the wider west of Scotland area with its unique offer. The building had been vacant since January 2009.

Maximum Potential Sports Conditioning aims to be the first facility in Scotland to offer Functional Movement and Sports Conditioning to all, using training methods and techniques that are at present only available to elite or professional athletes.

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John Welsh of Maximum Potential said: "We are delighted with the progress of the centre, and happy that we were able to secure the help of Irvine Bay to get things moving in the first instance.

"This is not just another gym. People train in small training groups (around 9 or 12) and are led by an instructor who takes them through their training programme that lasts approximately an hour. The sessions need an open artificial grass area for speed/agility training and a gym area containing weights and conditioning equipment for power/strength.

"Also included within our facility is a superb 900 sq m indoor 3G artificial grass pitch that can accommodate team training for football and rugby as well as for fitness classes and other general activities.

"Other services available to our patrons include injury management, weight control, nutritional support and NLP sports psychology, giving a truly professional level of support for our clients."

Patrick Wiggins, Chief Executive of Irvine Bay, said: "Maximum Potential is the first centre of its kind in Scotland. It helps to attract athletes from all over Ayrshire, the west of Scotland and beyond and as such, it will be a major attraction for athletes and a valuable asset to the community.

"With various fitness classes and sports events held there throughout the week and sessions held for schools, local clubs and sports teams it should help redress the balance of dwindling sports resources in North Ayrshire."

(GK)