THE construction of a new 10,000 capacity entertainment arena on Brighton seafront could help the city's bid for a second London-bound railway line, a leading councillor has claimed.

Conservative councillor Geoffrey Theobald said the new centre at Black Rock could bolster the case for Brighton Main Line 2 if the scenario of thousands of music fans heading to the city without any trains because of weekend engineering works was to be avoided.

Improving transport links to the east Brighton site and the uncertainty around business rates funding were highlighted by councillors as major obstacles to overcome in delivering the new arena.

But its positive impact on the city, as part of a £540 million project demolishing the Brighton Centre and extending Churchill Square, was also hailed at a council meeting last night.

Councillors gave the green light for a year-long search for an operator for the new conference and live music arena to begin and also agreed to a 150-year-old lease for the proposed £4.5 million Sea Lanes outdoor swimming pool on the former Peter Pan’s Playground in Madeira Drive at the same meeting.

All three developments are seen as key parts of the city's "£1 billion seafront".

The new arena will be funded by the sale of the Brighton Centre site, as well as rent from the arena operator, ending investment in the current Brighton Centre operational budgets and predicted additional business rates of up to £9 million from an expanded Churchill Square.

But Green convenor Phelim MacCafferty warned that the uncertainty surrounding the Government's plans to allow local authorities additional business rates created a level of risk with the project.

In total the Waterfront project is predicted to create up to 2,000 new jobs.

English Heritage advice has seemingly scuppered the prospect of any potential residential development at Black Rock because of the risk the historic squares of Lewes Crescent and Arundel Terrace but the inclusion of a new seafront hotel as part of the project has not been ruled out.

Cllr Theobald said Black Rock's location presented a "challenge" but agreed it was necessary to attract top American stars to perform in the city.

He added: "Traffic will be a big problem, and though I keep going on about BML2, to get 8,000 people there with no trains on a Saturday, that will give impetus to get better train links."