A £20 million pound hotel development for the breakwater at Brighton Marina has been unveiled.

The proposal for the western edge of the marina includes a 150 bedroom four-star hotel with shops, bars and restaurants looking out across Brighton beach towards the Palace Pier.

With a new bridge planned from Black Rock and steps from the development onto the beach, those walking from the city to Brighton Marina would no longer have to navigate through tunnels to emerge with a view of a car park and a supermarket.

Part of the building, designed by Wilkinson Eyre Architects, would be built above the water, with pillars supporting the structure.

The Argus can reveal that Brunswick Developments has submitted a planning application to Brighton and Hove City Council for a building it believes could mark the gateway between the city centre and Brighton Marina.

The bid includes conference and meeting room facilities, a health spa, a bar and restaurant and independent shops.

At least 3,200 new residents are expected to move to the marina in coming years to fill homes that are part of a series of developments.

Brunswick Developments has already received planning permission for the outer area of the marina.

The firm's scheme includes 853 flats along with leisure and shopping space.

Explore Living has also applied to build almost 1,300 flats as part of the "inner harbour scheme", including a 28-storey building.

The Black Rock project, next to the marina, includes an indoor events arena with two Olympic-size ice rinks, shops, restaurants and 111 flats but a planning application for that development has not yet been submitted.

Andrew Goodall, of Brunswick Developments, said his company's scheme would give tourism a boost and provide a more attractive entrance to the marina.

He said: "We always planned to make more of the western breakwater. The views from there are fabulous.

"We believe it complements the existing leisure and commercial offering at Brighton Marina and would be a very welcoming building for those who are approaching the marina from the west."

He said the scheme had been fully tested for the impact of waves, given its exposed position.

Final tests on the designs for the wider project is nearing completion, he added, and building work was expected to start in the near future.

Brunswick has secured a route from Madeira Drive to a compound in the marina where it will be keeping the material it needs for the huge redevelopment.

The hotel is expected to open by 2012 if it is given planning permission.

Mark Jones, the chairman of Brighton and Hove Hotels Association, said he would wait to see the detail of the scheme before commenting on it.

The number of rooms available in the city is expected to increase by 20 per cent over the next four years, according to a recent released council study.