UPDATE: Council decision to evict gymnastics club from its new home 

POLITICIANS are split over tonight’s decision on whether a gymnastics club used by hundreds of youngsters can stay in its new home.

Cherwell Gymnastics Club was granted permission to move into a warehouse in Blackbird Leys in October but the decision will be re-considered tonight after neighbouring printing firm Mayfield Press intimated it would appeal.

The firm said it would have to move out of Oxford if it couldn’t expand into the space.

Oxford City Council revealed MP Andrew Smith penned his concerns over the impact on the business and prospective loss of jobs urging councillors to ‘carefully consider’ Mayfield Press’ s case.

Council leader Bob Price, who called-in the plans initially, also told the Oxford Mail it was a ‘key employment site’.

But the city council’s lead member for leisure Linda Smith said: “The building is perfect for the gym club, they need an industrial unit like this to be able to expand and provide the first class sporting opportunities they offer to more and more young people in the city.”

East Area Planning Committee will make a decision tonight at 6pm at Oxford Town Hall.