Sporty new look for Brighton & Hove

Three top architects have revealed their proposals for the redevelopment of the seafront King Alfred site in Hove.

Brighton & Hove City Council plans to build a £25-30m sports centre on the 1.7hectare site, currently occupied by the run-down 1930s sports centre and a car park.

The project would include a 25m competition pool and teaching and leisure pools, a sports hall with space for eight badminton courts, a 6-rink indoor bowls hall, an 80-station gym, a workout studio, a health suite, cr'che and soft play area and a café.

Funding would come from a landmark development of around 400 flats, 40 per cent of which would be made available, under council policies, to key workers or people on the council's housing waiting list.

Plans for the work have been received from Barratt Southern Counties and Brunswick Development Group, which includes Wilkinson Eyre Architects; Countryside Properties, with a design team lead by the Richard Rogers Partnership, and Karis/ING, whose team includes Frank Gehry, architect of the Gunnenheim Museum in Bilbao.

A decision on the preferred developer is expected in late May or early June with the earliest expected start on site being spring next year.