PLANS for a £32million-plus "healthplex" for Minehead, to include a community hospital, multi-function community leisure centre including a swimming pool, have been submitted to planning officials.

The giant scheme could see the proposed £17million Minehead Hospital, and the planned £15million New Horizons community leisure centre and swimming pool built on land at Seaward Way by the autumn of 2008.

The outline also planning application provides for all-weather sports pitches.

A six-lane 25m swimming pool with a moveable base to allow water depth to be adjusted to enable nursery swimming lessons, and kayaking to take place is planned along with a six-court indoor sports hall, a space for performing arts, and a conference centre.

Meeting rooms, health facilities including hydrotherapy and physiotherapy services, and high-tech business facilities, are also envisaged.

As reported exclusively on the County Gazette website in February, members of West Somerset Council agreed to purchase a 11.5 acre parcel of land between Mallard Road and Tesco, from owners the Crown Estate for a sum believed to be around £3million.

The money is to come from the sale of a development site at Vulcan Road in the town (see story).

The application has been submitted by the New Horizons steering group, a partnership between Somerset County Council, West Somerset Council, Somerset Primary Care Trust and the West Somerset Community College.

The application comes just a week after the district council voted to spend £30,000 on a facelift for Aquasplash, Minehead's existing leisure and health centre.

Then council has pledged to operate Aquasplash, estimated to cost £250,000 to keep open from April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008, until the provision of a replacement pool is signed and sealed as part of the New Horizons project.

The council hopes the costs will be offset by increased revenues.