THIS is the proposed new look for Hove's King Alfred Centre.

Developers Citygrove unveiled their new plans for the £31 million development today.

They went back to the drawing board after fierce criticism from residents.

As revealed in the Argus on Monday, proposals for a nightclub have been scrapped, along with water slides attached to the swimming pool.

In come a new sports hall larger than the existing one, a health and fitness suite and more restaurants. The height of buildings is being reduced.

The existing swimming pool will be revamped and the council will build the new sports hall at a cost of £6 million.

Car parking spaces will be cut from 550 to 492 and there will be the same number of cycle racks.

There will be a frequent, subsidised bus service to and from the town centre of Brighton.

The western side of the building will be opened up with cafes to take advantage of sea views.

There will also be kiosks and beach huts on the esplanade and an open-air terrace near the sports hall.

But a casino planned for the development stays, and will be occupied by the Grosvenor Club which will move from Fourth Avenue.

Indoor bowls will stay but Mezazone and the ten-pin bowling alley are still scheduled to go.

There will be ten Virgin cinema screens instead 13 and 2,650 seats instead of 3,300.

Citygrove will consult 17,000 people about the scheme by letter and more by phone, and there will be a public meeting next month.

Council leader Lord Bassam said: "The developers have kept their promise to make changes which should make the scheme more acceptable to neighbours."

Citygrove chairman David Woolf said: "The old plan is dead.

"I hope now that we have got it right. Everyone will have a chance to have their say."

Earlier at the King Alfred, Shadow Culture Secretary Peter Ainsworth was briefed by Conservative councillors and residents.

Mr Ainsworth said: "I'm all in favour of investing in new modern leisure facilities where they are needed, but it's absolutely vital that any investment takes local opinion along with it.

"It's no good having grandiose schemes that are simply causing anger and concern to local residents.

"I'm afraid this seems to have been very badly handled here by the local council who appear to believe that consultation is merely some form of shadow play, a sham.

"There is no point in having consultation if you are not going to act on what you hear."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.