It is crunch time over controversial plans to build a new leisure centre on an historic and protected part of Hythe.

Councillors will tonight decide whether to allow Shepway District Council to take control of The Green and allow them to go ahead with building a multi-million pound facility.

The land is held in trust for residents by Hythe Town Council after it was granted to the people of the town in 1862.

But campaigners are fighting hard to convince councillors not to break the 154-year old covenant which was signed to prevent the land from ever being built on.

David Horton, whose great great grandfather Joseph Horton was one of the beneficiaries who donated the land, will attend tonight's meeting to speak to defend his ancestor's wishes.

SDC wants to build its planned new leisure centre for Hythe to replace the old pool in South Road - which it expects to fork out £1 million on maintaining the pool until 2020.

It is asking the town council to transfer over the land for a fee of £1 or on a 125-year lease.

If town councillors reject the proposal, SDC says it will build the new centre on the equally controversial Princes Parade.

The meeting starts at 6.45pm at the Town Hall in the High Street, Hythe.