And the cabinet is expected to approve a £6.9 million budget for the pool at the Withdean Sports Complex and to agree that officials should prepare and submit a planning application.

The estimated cost of the project has risen from £5.8 million in January last year and a report to the cabinet said that most of the funds would be raised by borrowing.

The report said the pool was expected to bring in revenues of £568,000 a year and – after repayments of £339,000 a year – generate a surplus of £229,000.

Over the past year to 18 months, detailed design and survey work has been carried out to prepare the project for the formal planning process.

In January, the council appointed a specialist pool company, ReCreation, to lead the design stage of the project for a five-lane 25-metre community pool.

The council said it would be the fourth public pool in Brighton and Hove and was part of the council’s plan and its “Let’s Get Moving” physical activity strategy, approved last year.

A recent online survey, carried out last month, had responses from 942 people. Some 84 per cent said that they would be likely or very likely to use the pool.

Of those who would use the new pool, 57 per cent said that they would travel by car, 42 per cent would walk, 21 per cent cycle and 13 per cent travel by bus.

Initially, the proposals would have meant the loss of 37 parking spaces but the architects have found other land on the site for overflow parking, reducing the likely number of lost spaces to seven.

The report said that some people were unconcerned about lost parking but others were worried about the knock-on effects on nearby streets.

Several people said they wanted the pool to be built as soon as possible – and the current timetable suggests work starting next February and taking a year.

The plan to build the pool follows previous consultations about sports facilities in Brighton and Hove which highlighted the age and poor condition of the existing alternatives.

The council is looking to replace one of those – the King Alfred on Hove seafront – and when work takes place, the town would temporarily have no public swimming pools.

The report said: “Data tells us that swimming remains the most popular activity for our residents and, as a coastal city, there is a need to ensure our children and young people have the opportunity to learn to swim.

“The new facility proposed to replace the King Alfred Leisure Centre won’t be complete until spring 2028 at the earliest.

“Further feasibility for our future leisure centre in the east of the city is still required which means the challenge of keeping the council’s current pools open and operational will remain for a number of years.

“In addition to the strategic case, the financial case included in this report demonstrates how a new community pool can be delivered in a sustainable and affordable way for the council.”





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