A scheme for a new district-wide leisure centre was voted for unanimously last night.

Dover district councillors, at an extraordinary meeting, agreed to go ahead with the £26.4 million scheme in Whitfield.

It will replace the ageing Dover Leisure Centre in Townwall Street.

Cllr Trevor Bartlett (Conservative) told the meeting: “This is exciting news for Dover. There is a fantastic facility ahead of use.

"It is sad that the old leisure centre has come to the end of its life but it is not worth keeping.”

The meeting heard that it would cost £13.4-£15 million to refurbish the 40-year-old Townwall Street centre and £1.5-£2 million just to maintain the existing fabric over the next five years.

It does not even have lifts for the disabled.

Cllr Bartlett added: “The new centre will have a county standard pools and disabled facilities. artificial football pitches.

"I look forward to spring 2019 when hopefully it will be open.”

Cllr Mike Eddy, opposition leader, said after the meeting: "it's high time the people of Dover District had the kind of leisure facilities that the residents of other districts across the country have in their areas.

"There is still a lot of work to do to get the centre up and running, but I look forward to the day when Dover will be able to host county level events.

"The Labour group on the district council will be pushing to make sure that the centre is accessible to as many residents as possible."

A total of five sites were looked at, including one at Buckland, but the Whitfield one has enough room for the giant 2.5 hectare centre.

The centre will have 250 parking spaces, instead of the present 95 at Townwall Street, and two five-aside football pitches, which the existing one doesn’t have at all.

For full details see next week’s Dover Mercury.