A SUPER sports centre is on the way for Folkestone following a £10 million Government finance package announced this week.

The award is the highest ever given to a local authority for sporting provision and was described as "groundbreaking" by the leader of Shepway council Rory Love.

The cash will mean Folkestone will get a new six-lane swimming pool, a learner pool, an eight court sports hall, a 100 station gym, an aerobics studio, a multi-use outdoor sports court and be able to retain its dry ski slope.

There are also exciting proposals for Hythe, which currently only has a swimming pool. Plans include a new building with a six-lane pool, a learner pool, a 220 seat spectator gallery, a state of the art fitness suite and a new sports pavilion.

But there are still hurdles to overcome.

The bid was made to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the money is coming from the Government's Private Finance Initiative.

There was controversy before the bid was submitted as Shepway council favoured a new centre for Folkestone, possibly to be built in Cheriton Road. However, the Folkestone Sports Centre Trust wanted a refurbishment of the existing venue, in Radnor Park Avenue. The council reluctantly went along with the sports centre's view.

Cllr Love said: "This is the largest public finance scheme for sport that any district council in the country has been successful with. In the bid we showed the demand for sporting facilities and showed the regeneration benefits.

"Hythe has missed out in the past as all it has is a swimming pool and a rickety old pavilion, so this is great news for them."

Cllr George Bunting, chairman of the steering group made up of Shepway District Council, Hythe Town Council, Shepway Sports Council and the Folkestone Sports Centre Trust, said: "Although this is only the first stage of the funding process, it demonstrates that the Government has confidence in the concepts and principals behind plans to improve sports facilities for people across the district.

"The steering group now faces the challenges of preparing the stage two application providing detailed analysis of the schemes."