A popular form of relaxation and healing could be on its way to Penrith by Christmas after a new Development Application (DA) was lodged.
City Cave, which has float and wellness centres across the state, has put a proposal to Penrith City Council to create an indoor recreational facility in Jamisontown.
The DA seeks to fit out an existing tenancy and use it as a health studio known as a ‘recreation float centre’, which includes floatation tanks, massage rooms and infrared saunas.
Float therapy, which has gained attention in recent years, involves lying in a pool filled with 400 kilograms of Epsom salts with water heated to your external body temperature.
The water helps heal inflammation in the body and can immerse your mind into a state of relaxation.
City Cave states that users can opt to have lights on or music playing or experience full sensory deprivation in wide-open float rooms rather than a traditional closed-in float therapy pod.
The subject site at 120 Mulgoa Road, Jamisontown, is the former Toys R Us store. The building was previously divided into three smaller tenancies but due to traffic circulation and pedestrian safety arrangements, the rear tenancy was not approved.
With Tru Ninja and Factory Plus already approved at the site, the Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) said approval of the third tenancy, which has remained vacant, would facilitate the full renewal of the space.
“The proposed change of usage facilitates the use of proposed Tenancy 1 as a health studio which provides employment opportunities upon completion, in addition to employment created during the fit-out of the tenancy,” it said.
“The proposal is in the public interest as the site’s future usage as a health studio will provide the community with access to health and fitness facilities proximate to both residential and employment areas. It also activates a vacant tenancy and enhances employment opportunities and consumer choice for the local area.”
The SEE states that the space would feature three flotation tanks, three sauna booths and two massage rooms on the ground level as well as a mezzanine to be used as a storage area.
The operational hours, if approved, would be 8am to 10pm, seven days a week and two to three staff members would be on site at any time. The document says the new use would require six car spaces for customers, however the site contains 219 on-site car parking spaces for multiple stores.
The Weekender understands that another similar business called Elements Float Health Spa is also set to open shortly in the former Pilates Works studio at 236 Great Western Highway, Emu Plains.
A graduate of Western Sydney University, Emily covers Local, State and Federal politics for the Weekender, as well as crime and general news.
