A vacant space above a shopping centre could be transformed into a massive leisure and fitness area.

Planning permission is being sought to turn the top of the Dockside Outlet Centre in Chatham into a unit which could accommodate a dance studio or workout area for specialised sports.

Permission had originally been granted for change use to an indoor climbing wall, but it was felt this would be too restrictive and the new application provides a more broader remit.

The proposed unit in the Grade II listed former dockyard building would be sub-divided and accessed on the first floor.

It would require the removal of redundant plant machinery and a staircase and lifts from the existing mezzanine floor.

Centre manager Anthony Sutton said: “At the moment this is dead space. This is an opportunity to enhance what we already have here for our customers.

“To be honest, we don’t yet exactly know what we want. If we are granted planning permission, we can look at our options. It could be a yoga studio or lend itself to CrossFit workouts.”

Mr Sutton said because of the close proximity of two gyms opposite the centre it was “highly unlikely” to give the space over to a third one.

Meanwhile, a padel tennis complex in the neighbouring Machine Shop No 8., an iconic historic former dockyard building, is still undergoing the planning process.

It will showcase one of the world’s fastest-growing sports, which is already proving a hit with football and tennis superstars, David Beckham, Lionel Messi, Rafa Nadal and Andy Murray to name but a few.

The outlet centre itself is at full capacity, with traders “queueing up “ to move in, according to Mr Sutton.

Near the main entrance, a new Zizzi Italian restaurant is set to open in an empty unit below the PureGym.

It’s one of two vacant eateries, based at the former Dickens World Centre in Leviathon Way, previously occupied by Villagio and Chimichanga,

Zizzi, a chain of Italian-inspired restaurants, already has branches in Maidstone, Bluewater, Canterbury, Sevenoaks and Whitstable. But this will be the first in the Medway Towns.