Councillors in Scarborough have approved proposals for a multi-million pound leisure village, which will include a new 2,000-seater football ground, leisure facilities and an eight lane swimming pool.

The plans have been hailed by Scarborough Council as a ‘fantastic opportunity’ for the area to build on the success for the London 2012 Olympic Games and encourage people to take up more active and healthier lifestyles.

Cambridge-based Wrenbridge Land will continue development of the project which will see a return of the Scarborough senior football team to the town, which was previously forced to play in the nearby Bridlington, owing to a lack of facilities.

The development will include an artificial, floodlit pitch, with spectator facilities as well as an outside multi-use games area for ball sports, with tennis the priority.

The work is being funded in part by the sale of land at the former McCain stadium in Scarborough and the sale of the spare land at the development site, which is currently a car parking facility.

Further funding is expected to come from grants with Sport England, the Football Foundation and the England Squash and Racketball Association as well as borrowing worth £6.3m.