People in the Orpington area could be jumping for joy and bouncing off the walls if a planning application gets unlikely approval next week.

Air Jump has applied to turn a disused warehouse in St Mary Cray near the Nugent Shopping Centre into an indoor trampolining park, with nearly 900 square metres of trampoline beds.

But Bromley Council’s planning officers have recommended the application is refused at a meeting of the planning sub-committee on Thursday (October 20) primarily because changing the use of the building from an industrial site to a leisure facility could deprive the area of a business unit in a designated business area.

This is despite Air Jump contesting the warehouse has been empty since 2013 and unsuccessfully marketed for the past five years.

Air Jump’s operations director Daniel Locke said: “We are most surprised at the planning officer’s recommendation.

"The application was previously refused because of lack of marketing and parking information and we have provided detailed answers on these two points.

"The building has been vacant for the last five years and the marketing agents say there is little prospect of that changing.

"Our facility by contrast would provide local jobs, a fantastic new facility for young people, would benefit local schools and would provide for health benefits. We hope that the planning committee will share our views on this.”

If go ahead was granted, the site in Lagoon Road would be the first of its kind nearby and picks up on a growing trend for trampoline parks which started in Las Vegas in 2004. The International Association of Trampoline Parks estimates there will be more than 550 worldwide by the end of the year.

The plans also include a café and a proposed park and ride scheme to ease fears of parking problems.

Air Jump has been keen to emphasise the health benefits of trampolining, as well as the fun factor, citing NASA research that showed rebounding on a trampoline is 68 per cent more effective than jogging. They also say that 10 minutes on a trampoline has the same cardiovascular effect as a 33 minute run.

Customers would be able to enjoy pay-as-you-go free jumping sessions as well as birthday parties, exercise and fitness classes including ‘bouncercise’, dodgeball, and special teen and toddler sessions.

Alongside the trampolines would be a foam pit designed to give jumpers a soft landing.

Similar plans have previously been rejected by Bromley Council.