Plans have been unveiled for a new swimming centre in Brighton.
The city council has given a five-year lease to the development, which will be built subject to planning permission, on the site of the former Peter Pan playground in Madeira Drive.
Developers hope to open the £3 million centre open in November, which will see a swimming centre with an indoor endless pool, and a 25 metre outdoor heated swimming pool in 2019.
The pool will be aimed at people of all swimming abilities and those training for open water swimming events and triathlons.
If the centre is successful following the five-year-lease, developers would like to get permission build a permanent centre with a 50 metre outdoor heated pool with commercial units for gyms and dance studios and offices space for businesses in the leisure sector.
The hope is for the pool to transform the city into a national centre for excellence for open water swimming, and to revive the seafront and regenerate Madeira Drive
Developer Joe McNulty, managing director of Copsemill Properties, said: "The swimming pool will benefit local schools and colleges, and will allow children, parents and carers to take part in sea safety and lifeguard courses...
"By using a kit of moveable and reusable parts, we are able to create a sustainable, robust and affordable solution while permanent plans are developed.
"The pool will be supported by circa 10,000 square foot of commercial space, and the development will create around 70 new jobs and opportunities for the local community, bringing a much needed and long-awaited rejuvenation to a much loved area of Brighton seafront."
Alan Robins, chair of Brighton & Hove City Council’s economic, tourism and development committee said: “Madeira Drive is an important part of the city’s tourism calendar, drawing in thousands of visitors a year to events like the Veteran Car Run and Marathon.
“The Sea Lanes development would be a fitting addition to the eastern end of our seafront and compliment the popular and successful Yellowave beach sports venue. I look forward to seeing the plans unfold.”
Open water swimming has seen a 20 per cent annual growth since the 2012 London Olympics.
The developers will submit a planning application in the next four weeks and hope to get planning consent by the end of summer.
It comes after three western end arches of the Madiera Terraces have been earmarked for restoration.
It is hoped the restored arches will see pop business units in them will provide a business case to support funding bids for the remaining project, estimated to cost more than £20 million pounds.
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