A CONTROVERSIAL plan to include a nightclub as part of the £30 million redevelopment of Hove's King Alfred Leisure Centre has been dropped.

The switch by planners was today given a cautious welcome by residents who who feared it would cause late-night disturbances.

The developers behind the multi-million pound scheme, Citygrove Leisure plc, will unveil the reworked plans at Hove Town Hall on Thursday.

They will be radically different from the first scheme proposed last August.

Many parts of that plan were unpopular with local people.

Changes have now been made to make the scheme more appealing both for people using the complex and residents living nearby.

Brighton and Hove Council will not comment on the new plans until they are unveiled.

But the Argus has been told that the nightclub was one of the most unpopular parts of the original plans, and as a result it has now been dropped.

Also out is a family entertainment centre, which included an amusement arcade, and many of the planned 500 parking spaces.

The plans for the leisure centre now include improved sports facilities, a sports hall, a health and fitness area, a dance studio and six badminton courts.

The Argus revelaed last week that the size of the cinema complex had been cut from 3,400 seats to between 2,000 and 2,500 seats.

Lord Bassam, leader of Brighton and Hove Council, said a major consultation exercise, including telephone poll, will take place to find out what people think.

He said last night: "The consultation will be one of the largest to be undertaken by the council.

"It is a very exciting development and will provide Hove with its first-ever cinema."

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