A multi-million pound leisure centre with a swimming pool, football pitches and gym has been given planning permission.

Reigate and Banstead Council’s planning committee approved plans on Wednesday to create the £8.7m centre to be funded through the creation of 130 new homes in Merland Rise, Tadworth.

The proposed centre sports a 25-metre pool, sports hall, dance studios and four five-a-side football pitches.

Its crèche, cafe, community room and hall would replace community space at the Tattenham Community Centre and Phoenix Youth Centre, which would be demolished.

Under the plans new homes will also replace the existing Banstead Sports Centre and part of Merland Rise Recreation Ground.

A Reigate and Banstead spokeswoman said work is expected to begin on the leisure cente in the autumn and take a year.

She added that a developer had not yet been identified to build the homes.

The council spokeswoman said a Banstead Village Councillor Sam Walsh welcomed planning permission for the new leisure centre to replace existing sports facilities, which he described as ‘quite aged and very popular’.

Coun Walsh said: "Residents from that area of Banstead are really looking forward to it. I think it’s an exceptional idea.

"I’m very pleased that we are moving this forward in the right direction." 

John Webb, manager of Banstead Sports Centre, said: "Obviously it is good news for the community that they are going to have brand new facilities.

"The existing facilities are getting on for 40 years old."

The current leisure centre will remain open until the new one starts operations and will be run by same social enterprise, GLL.

The new centre is set to be built on a training pitch used by Banstead Athletic Football Club with its five-a-side football pitches occupying part of the recreation ground.

Its development is being funded through a joint venture by Reigate and Banstead Council and Surrey County Council.