A new and improved £26m leisure centre for the district has taken one step closer to fruition.

Dover District Council has secured two hectares of land at Honeywood Parkway in Whitfield for the new Dover District Leisure Centre.

A planning application is expected to be submitted later this month.

A district council spokesman confirmed the plans for the new venue are well advanced with BAM Construction appointed to a pre-construction contract in January 2017, joining a team of architects, designers and specialist engineering consultants working on the detailed design phase.

For swimmers, the offer will be improved because it will include the only eight lane swimming pool in the district.

The competition standard pool will have spectator seating for 250 people. Facilities will also include a learner pool with moveable floor, 4-court sports hall, squash courts, multi-function room, fitness gym, fitness studios, clip ‘n’ climb wall, and a café. Outside there will be two 3G artificial pitches for five-a-side football, and a minimum of 250 parking spaces.

Cllr Trevor Bartlett, portfolio holder for property management, said: “This is another significant milestone on our journey to provide the district with a modern leisure facility. We’re making good progress on the detailed design which will be available to view with the full planning application later this month.”