Council chiefs have warned the issue over the future of an historic lido is not as simple as it appears.

Nearly 3,000 signatures were presented to Brighton and Hove City Council last night (October 20) asking for action to be taken to save the listed landmark in Saltdean.

It comes a day after it was confirmed that the lido had been placed on English Heritage’s At Risk register.

It is the only local authority-owned building in the south east on the list, although since 1997 it has been under the control of leaseholder Dennis Audley.

Campaigners have presented a business plan to take over the lido as a Community Interest Company (CIC).

Brighton Kemptown MP Simon Kirby, who made the very rare step of addressing a full council meeting, urged the local authority to take action.

He said: “The lido is not a problem waiting to be resolved but an asset with bags of potential in terms of employment, leisure facilities and providing employment.

“It is obvious that the leaseholder is not going to walk away from the situation.”

Plans to build more than 100 flats on the site were presented to locals last year.