DJ Fatboy Slim is opposing plans for housing to provide cash to rebuild a leisure centre near his home.

The DJ, whose real name is Norman Cook, lives in Hove, with wife Zoe Ball and son Woody.

He was asked by Gill Siddle of Vallance Gardens whether they supported Brighton and Hove City Council plans for the King Alfred Leisure Centre in Hove.

These involve building 400 homes on part of the site in order to finance a £20 million rebuild of the ailing centre.

The DJ, who hit the headlines this week after his huge weekend beach party in Brighton, wrote back saying: "We agree that the King Alfred site should be secured wholly for sports and leisure use."

Mrs Siddle said: "I wrote to a number of celebrities but Norman Cook is the only one who has replied. I would like to thank him for his support.

"It amazes me that the council is proposing to build hundreds of flats on the site of the King Alfred.

"Surely it should be giving its residents the option to secure the site of the King Alfred wholly for sports and leisure provision for both themselves and the thousands of visitors and students who come to stay each year.

"I believe we should be maximising every inch of the King Alfred site for sports and leisure, not giving a significant proportion over to housing."

She said the council should explore further whether a private finance initiative should be used to raise cash for the scheme.

Meanwhile Tory councillor Denise Cobb disputed council claims that 80 per cent of people were in favour of the housing plans.

She said she had yet to find a single person who had received a council leaflet about the scheme.

Coun Cobb said the council survey form was misleading and only mentioned housing as a funding option.

Local Labour councillor Simon Battle said he supported housing in principle as a fund-raiser but 400 homes would be too many.

He said: "It is at least twice as many as may be needed to fund a new sports centre to serve Hove residents effectively."