A new Dover Leisure Centre could be completed by the end of 2018, with a planning application expected to be submitted by September this year.

That was the news at the first scrutiny meeting for the leisure centre working group held on Thursday.

Officers at the council have taken advice from consultants, which suggested that the most cost-effective proposal is to move the facility to Whitfield. Buckland Mill is still being considered as a back-up location.

It is hoped the centre would include a 4G sports pitch, an Olympic-sized pool, a climbing wall and fitness and dance studios, but this is subject to funding and feasibility.

Emma-Jane Allen, principal infrastructure officer at Dover District Council, said: “We would need to spend £2 million in the next five years to keep the existing building going, refurbishment could cost £10 million, and still we would not have the facilities we want. In order to allow a complete leisure centre in the timescale, we will need to make a planning application by September this year.”

It has also been suggested that the current operator of the centre, Your Leisure, which has not been involved in the working group, could be replaced.

Ms Allen said: “We need to decide as part of this work what other options we could have in place for a new leisure facility, whether that’s a charitable trust or another operator.”

A meeting with Sports England is scheduled for April when, funding streams will be explored, such as the Lottery or the Football Association. This was the suggestion from campaigner Peter Ward, the voice of the people on the working group.

He said: “I assume a wedge of this will come from taxpayers’ money so could we have a public meeting or consultation before any decision is made.

“With the Whitfield site, we have more land, so be ambitions with it. We could have cross-Continental competitions and bring tourism into the town.”

Mr Ward said he would prefer any new centre to be at the old Sainsbury’s site in the town centre but understood the owner did not wish to sell and said Whitfield would be more ambitious.

Cllr Nigel Collor, portfolio holder for access and licensing, agreed that the larger the land the greater ease of expansion.

Public consultation workshops are expected to start in May, with proposals going to cabinet in July. To have your say, email newleisurecentre@dover.gov.uk