Plans to open up the commercial heart of a seaside town to its biggest development have taken a step forward.

Councillors have approved the creation of a town centre regeneration area to help attract multi-million-pound investment.

Hundreds of new jobs, housing and leisure facilities could emerge under the proposals unveiled by Eastbourne Borough Council last year.

A retail complex, double the size of the existing Arndale Centre, could be built under the striking proposals, bringing huge investment.

The plans also look at boosting the transport infrastructure, offering a gateway to the town centre that integrates the rail network with people arriving in cars, taxis, buses, motorcycles and bicycles.

There are plans for housing, 30 per cent of which will be low cost for key workers such as nurses and teachers.

Part of the reason for the expansion is to lure back shoppers who have drifted to centres like Brighton and Tunbridge Wells in the past ten years.

An eight-week public consultation was carried out involving a touring exhibition, public meetings and leaflets dropped across Eastbourne.

Tuesday February 15, 2005