Tourists will soon be able to get a bird's eye view of a seaside town from a hot air balloon tethered to an ancient monument.

The helium filled balloon, 22 metres in diameter, will float above the Redoubt Fortress on the seafront in Eastbourne, attached to a winch platform.

Up to 30 passengers at a time will be able to float up to 530ft to view the whole of the town.

The rectangular winch pit, with a concrete base measuring nine metres by four metres and recessed into the ground by 2.5 metres would be at the centre of the parade ground.

There would also be 24 mooring loops secured into its surface.

Applicants Lindstrand Technologies, which already runs a number of similar attractions, including one in Bournemouth, said: "Lindstrand HiFlyers can operate all year round, with daily flights at key locations worldwide.

"The HiFlyer concept incorporates a balloon tethered through a high-tensile wire cable to an electrical winch system, which will elevate the balloon to a maximum height of 530ft."

The Redoubt Fortress is an ancient scheduled monument between Royal Parade and the seafront in Eastbourne, on the east side of the pier.

It forms part of the town centre and seafront conservation area and has been the subject of many planning applications.

In recent years it has been used as a military museum and before that was used for summer concerts.

Planning permission for the latest project was granted by Eastbourne Borough Council yesterday.

An application for ancient monument consent was also submitted to the Architecture & Historic Environment Division of the department for Culture, Media and Sport in London.

Its Historic Buildings department said: "The proposal will clearly be highly visible and essentially alien.

"However, the installation is reversible and can be removed at any stage without adverse impact on The Redoubt."

It did not object to temporary approval provided the building benefits financially and suggested permission be granted for five years so it could be removed if it was considered unsightly.

A council officer said: "The site has been economically underused to the potential detriment of the historic structure.

"A new tourist-related use, such as that proposed, which could raise significant income would be welcome both directly to the fortress and also to the wider economy of the resort.

"The intention is to provide a facility to The Redoubt which should increase the number of visitors to the fortress museum and provide the public with a panoramic view of The Redoubt Fortress and surrounding town."

The council has granted planning permission for the balloon between the hours of 7am and 11pm.

Coun Simon Herbert said: "It will be an excellent tourist attraction for the town. It adds to what Eastbourne already has to offer and will publicise the Redoubt Fortress too. Something like this is a big draw for visitors. I was fully in support of this."