The council has announced it is looking to open yet another swimming pool - just days after unveiling plans for two others.

As Brighton and Hove City Council approved a new pool for Withdean at a meeting last week, it also agreed to a feasibility study for a further swimming pool in the east of Brighton.

During a meeting of the Strategy, Finance and City Regeneration Committee on Thursday, the council said it is considering Moulsecoomb Leisure Centre as the leading option, with the Stanley Deason Leisure Centre, in Whitehawk, also under consideration.

Labour councillor Alan Robins said: “I am really proud we will continue to be able to provide free swimming for under 18 years old.

“This is something we can take particular pride in. This is an important health and wellbeing consideration.”

Labour councillor Jacob Taylor, who leads on finance, said that the council could borrow £6 million to fund the project because it was “capital spending” which would bring in an income.

It was reported earlier this month that Brighton and Hove City Council had a total debt of more than £378 million as of September 2023. The amount is the highest of any city, borough or district council in Sussex.

Councillor Taylor, who represents Moulsecoomb and Bevendean, said that the council was allowed to borrow for this sort of big-ticket item but not for day-to-day revenue spending.

He said: “We have to maintain infrastructure in the city. We haven’t invested enough whether it’s roads or school buildings or leisure facilities. It is really important during difficult times with the revenue budget to invest in infrastructure.”

He said that he was particularly pleased to see Moulsecoomb Leisure Centre listed as the potential location for a future pool.

Green councillor Sue Shanks said that there would need to be more bus services for the site which is served by the 27 at the moment.

The pool proposed at Withdean could make a modest profit of just over £12,000 a year, councillors were told.

The capital outlay was expected to be about £5.8 million. The council planned to budget for a 7.5 per cent contingency in case costs increased.

The proposed pool would have to generate an annual income of almost £560,000 to cover the estimated £260,000 running costs and service the loan at almost £300,000 a year.

READ MORE: Two sites earmarked for new leisure centre in Hove

Sports England has given the council a £400,000 grant from its Swimming Pool Support Fund but this was aimed at the continuing operation of existing pools in the area.

The committee unanimously agreed to borrow £450,000 to pay professional fees for detailed design and survey work and the obtaining of planning permission.

The council also has plan to replace Hove's King Alfred Leisure Centre with a "state-of-the-art" swimming pool. It would be built either on the current site in Kingsway or on land to the south of West Hove Sainsbury’s car park at the junction of Old Shoreham Road and the A293.