Medway Council's cabinet has recommended multi-million pound funding be set aside for a new sports centre.

Plans for the new facility to replace the former Splashes site at Cozenton Park in Rainham were discussed by members yesterday.

Cabinet colleagues agreed to recommend that the full council approve an addition of £12.85 million to the capital budget to enable the works.

Full council had previously approved an allocation of £5million, funded from borrowing, for the Splashes scheme – taking the total cost to £17.85 million. It is expected to make a final decision on the addition to the funds later this month.

Cllr Howard Doe, portfolio holder for community services, said: "I am delighted that cabinet has agreed to recommend that full council approves the funding to build a new, family-friendly, state-of-the-art sports centre in Rainham.

"The proposed sports centre would provide high-quality facilities for Medway's families to enjoy and would complement our superb existing sport and leisure offer."

Designs for a state-of-the-art modern, family-friendly sports centre were unveiled earlier this year.

The proposals include two swimming pools – a training pool for lane swimming and lessons, as well as a fun pool with flume, wave ball pool and beach area.

There will also be a fitness gym, room for exercise classes and children’s parties and family and accessible changing rooms.

The designs also include electric charging parking spaces, as part of the Towns' climate change and carbon neutral ambitions.

The former Splashes Leisure Centre in Bloors Lane was demolished in January to make way for the new facility.

The council said there was an increasing need to replace the "utilitarian" old Splashes, which dated from the 1990s, as it had become uneconomic to maintain.

It said there was a vital need to maintain sports provision within Medway, because of the growing population - now at over 280,00 people - and a worrying increase in the rate of obesity, above that of the national average.

Residents still have the opportunity to provide feedback on the plans through the council’s planning application, open until Wednesday, June 22.

The plans are expected to be discussed by the planning committee the following week on June 29.