Work is not expected to start on the new King Alfred leisure centre until 2026.

In July, Brighton and Hove City Council's cabinet decided it will rebuild the leisure centre on its current site in Hove rather than in Benfield Valley.

The next step for the £47 million project will be to select and appoint a lead architect and professional team to start the design process, the council said.

At a future cabinet meeting in summer 2025 the council will seek agreement on the design and the landowner’s consent for submission of a planning application.

Read more: Councillor fears King Alfred could cost millions more than projected

The council said it does not expect any work to begin on the site before early 2026 and the facility is not expected to open before spring 2028.

The intention is to keep the current facility open and operating for as long as possible.

At Monday’s extraordinary meeting of the place overview and scrutiny committee Councillor Alan Robins, cabinet member for sports and recreation, said this would cost millions to do.

Read more: Everything we know about plans for replacement seafront leisure centre

Cllr Robins said on Wednesday that the council and Freedom Leisure, which runs the facility, are committed to investing in the current centre to ensure residents can continue to use it.

“The King Alfred is the most well-used leisure centre in the city, but it’s nearly 80 years old and coming to the end of its life so we urgently need a new facility or residents will be left without,” he said.

“It’s in constant need of repair and expensive to run which is not sustainable in the long term. Refurbishment would only extend the life for a short period, couldn’t provide a facility that meets Sport England standards, and is not what our residents deserve.

“While we progress our exciting and long-overdue plans to build a brand-new leisure centre, we will also continue to do everything we can to keep the existing centre open for as long as possible.

“The council and Freedom Leisure are committed to investing in the existing King Alfred Leisure Centre and making improvements where needed to ensure residents continue to have access to a safe and accessible sports centre that meets the current needs of local residents.”