Plans to build a new £6.6 leisure centre in Banstead were given the green light at a council planning committee meeting last week.

Reigate and Banstead Council's planning committee approved plans for the centre on Merland Rise in Preston last Thursday.

It will include a 25 metre, six lane pool, a 13 metre by 7 metre teaching pool, a 50 station fitness gym and 30-person exercise and dance studio.

A council spokesperson said: "At the executive council meeting on 21 July, the council agreed an option to build replacement leisure facilities at Banstead Leisure Centre to include a swimming pool, subject to full council and the anticipated capital receipts generated by the sale and development of the existing leisure centre site."

The council will now begin discussions with Surrey County Council, leisure partners and other organisations to look into the feasibility of combining the Phoenix Centre and Tattenham Community Hall with the new leisure centre.

Of the £6.6 million, £4.3 million of capital funds has already been allocated to the project in the draft 2011-15 corporate plan.

The remaining money will be reliant upon income generated by the redevelopment and regeneration of Merland Rise.

If this money does not come in then the proposed facilities may need to be scaled-back.