I have this glorious vision of Brighton and Hove as a centre of entertainment and recreation second to none in the world.

If only our elected leaders had the imagination to make it happen.

My brain goes into overdrive at the thought of creating a leisure complex every bit as exciting as Disneyland Paris and equally attractive to visitors from the rest of Europe.

We have the necessary road and rail links.

Gatwick is just up the road for air travellers. Shoreham Airport is crying out for expansion.

Stanmer Park and the wide open spaces north of the A27 would make a splendid site.

It could even incorporate the proposed sports stadium causing so much pain to the residents of Falmer.

Disneyland is a magical place designed to stir the emotions but there's nothing unique about it.

Essentially it's a collection of theme parks - Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Discoveryland - built around a main plaza and packed with affordable restaurants, spectacular parades, music and live entertainment.

We could build such a wonderland here. However, it would require a loan issue to raise the capital required and no doubt the NIMBY brigade would raise a great scream of protest.

Politicians would have to take the kind of risks they are usually eager to avoid.

I know just the man to run such a venture - Pierre-Yves Gerbeau, the Frenchmen plucked from Disneyland Paris to take over the ailing Dome at Greenwich.

I thought of my vision while studying the newly-published draft of the council's Local Plan, which lays down policies for the use of land and buildings in Brighton and Hove for the next ten years.

It is a worthy document and no doubt the council will adopt much of it after consultation during the six weeks from September 25.

Alas there is nothing there to match my vision, though it does support a recreation and leisure scheme at Black Rock that could embrace wet and dry sports.

This would be in addition to the proposed community sports stadium in Falmer.

Meanwhile, while Adur forges ahead with modernisation plans for a media village at the Brighton and Hove end of Shoreham Harbour, the Local Plan barely mentions Brighton and Hove's stake in the £300 million regeneration of the waterfront area envisaged by planning consultant Graham Moss.

A village and leisure centre would complement other projects designed to make Brighton and Hove an attractive place to live with excellent educational facilities, business opportunities and decent housing.

If all that isn't worth the grant of city status to our twin towns then Simon Fanshawe should eat his hat.