Two units on a Dorchester industrial estate can be used for a gym – overruling a Dorset Council planning policy.

The buildings, yet to be constructed, are on the Duchy of Cornwall Parkway Farm site off Middle Farm Way where a total of 21 industrial units have been agreed.

Planning officers argued that the gym should not be allowed as it is contrary to a policy which effectively reserves the site for more job-intensive employment.

But councillors argued that it would at least bring some jobs and there were examples across the county where gyms have been based on industrial estates for years, including Weymouth's Granby estate, at Lyme Regis, Bridport and Gillingham.

Dorchester councillors Les Fry and Stella Jones were among those backing the use of the two units for the Weymouth-based CrossFit gym company. They will take two of the units, at the bottom end of the new estate, sub-leasing from another business, Dorwest Herbs, already based on the estate which has ear-marked several adjoining units for its future expansion, but is unlikely to need the two units for the gym for at least five years.

Head coach and co-owner of CrossFit, Mark Sergison, said the units would be ideal for the company's use – based on having small highly coached groups. He said the business had been looking for a suitable premises in Dorchester to expand and thought the units ideal. He said some of the clients were likely to be taking part in youth training, with backing for the fitness centre from several local schools and NHS professionals who recognised the benefits of improving fitness for mental health and as a way of tackling weight problems.

Cllr Stella Jones told the area planning committee that the council policy of keeping industrial sites only for certain business uses had already been undermined in Dorchester with the authority's decision to allow housing in the middle of another estate, off the Grove in Dorchester.

She said that it could be argued that although the gym would not create many jobs it would be providing a services which would help the fitness and mental health of many local people, including staff at other units in the immediate area.

Cllr Les Fry said he thought the gym use was entirely appropriate and the council ought to be welcoming almost anything which created jobs and brought other benefits to the area, rather than too strictly enforcing all planning policy.

Both councillors pointed out that there were many vacant industrial and business units throughout the area.