Chichester District Council (CDC) has approved plans for a new multi-million pound sports centre in Midhurst, West Sussex.

Plans for the Grange Centre project include a four-court sports hall, two squash courts, two dance rooms, a 60-station fitness suite and a health suite area, as well as a cafe and changing rooms. The decision follows a two-year assessment of local leisure provision, which determined that the preferred option is to replace the existing facility with a new building which may also offer other services, such as a library.

CDC is now seeking an architect and design team to develop plans for the Grange Centre, which is set to be managed by Westgate Leisure. CDC's portfolio holder for sport and culture, Nick Thomas, said: "The Midhurst facility will further complement our current leisure services, and it will hopefully follow the success that Westgate Leisure has experienced in Chichester and Southbourne.

"Over the coming months we will start the process to find an architect and design team that will share our vision for the centre, and once this has taken place the project will start to really take shape."