PLANS to transform a former mill building into a state-of-the-art gym have been given the green light.

East Lothian Amateur Boxing Club, which was formed four years ago, is moving into Cheviot House on Haddington’s Mill Wynd.

Callum Colquhoun, chairman of the club, was delighted with the local authority’s decision, which was made earlier this month.

He said: “I’m over the moon.

“We’re having an open day on November 1 – that’s the plan at the moment. There are still one or two things to finish in the club but we are training in the gym and we have got keep fit classes as well.

“We are not fully functional yet and we have still got the Muay Thai (a combat sport of Thailand that uses stand-up striking, along with various clinching techniques) to come in and do a bit of training.” The club has 16 members, with a further 30 people using the facility to keep fit.

The building will be split into two, with one side of the building dedicated to a keep fit area and the other side set up for boxing.

It will contain two boxing rings, along with 20 punch bags.

On the other side will be an open studio with mirrors, chin up bars, a hurdle to jump over, weights and skipping ropes.

Mr Colquhoun, one of the county’s community wardens, told the Courier: “It is going to be a three-year lease initially but it can be as long as we want really.

“My plans are to build our own purpose-built gym somewhere that we own.

“Hopefully, that is going to be within the next three years.”