Richmond Gymnastics Association are hoping a planning decision will help give the club world class training facilities to go with its world class athletes.

Richmond councils planning committee next Wednesday to decide the fate of the Townmead Road club’s £2.5million expansion proposals to not only house its growing 1,700-strong membership base, but also its bursting trophy cabinet.

Twenty-eight RGA athletes returned from the FIG Acro World Cup and Maia International Acro Cup meeting in Portugal last month sporting five medals between them.

Jennifer Bailey, Josie Russell and Cicely Irwin claimed Acro World Cup gold – to go with three European Championship silvers they won in 2013 – to cap a memorable trip for the club.

Kitty Williams, Scarlett Wright, and Tabbie Dawson won 12-18 girls group gold at the International Acro Cup, while Aidan Lim, Alberto Cardillo-Zallo, Alexander Papworth, and Christian Cox repeated that feat in the boys category.

Grace Tucker and Lucy Gamble won 12-18 girls pairs bronze as the club wrapped up the 12-18 Age Group Cup as best team.

RGA’s Phillip Jeffcock, who fears the club’s proposals may have been recommended for refusal due to parking provision issues,, said:” We have been looking at this for more than nine months.

“We cannot use both gym floor’s properly at the moment so we need to expand to make use of the space.

“It is a community facility and used all year round as it is an indoor sport.

“Richmond is very good in general when it comes to the provision of sports facilities in open spaces, but life is not all about football and rugby.”