DROITWICH Spa's new lido development will cost over £1.5million if plans are approved at a special meeting of Wychavon District Council next week.

Further details of the proposal were released before a meeting of the council's overview and scrutiny committee last night. The committee was set to look over the plans so that its views can be considered before a final decision is made. The opinions of the committee will now be examined by Wychavon's executive board on Tuesday. Development manager Tim Deakin and project manager Peter Head were set to give specific details about the £1,528,000 project at last night's meeting.

Their report to the committee recommends that the project is allowed to proceed, that the head of corporate projects and the development manager be given delegated powers to accept tenders for the work and that Wychavon Leisure Community Association Ltd., be approved as the operator of the lido facility.

Possible funding for the development includes costs of around £579,000 from section 106 contributions in the area as well as the £550,000 that was originally allocated for investment in the site.

If plans get the go ahead next week and planning permission goes through in February, the estimated opening time for the lido could be the first week in August according to the report.

Other new details that emerged included the possibility of introducing a Sunday parking charge on the lido car park. The cost of entry to the lido of £4.50 for adults and £2.25 for juniors is considered the most realistic scenario, with around 30,000 visits expected each year. Season tickets could also be made available to frequent visitors to the attraction.The views of the overview and scrutiny committee and the further details of the project will now go to Wychavon Council's executive board on Tuesday for a final decision on the proposal.

l LIDO campaigner John Thistlethwaite has offered new suggestions about how he thinks the site should be developed. Mr Thistlethwaite has draw his own plans and sent them to Wychavon Council's planning department for consideration before the consultation deadline of Thursday, January 26. His design includes the development of an ice rink and a number of open-air hot tubs. Comments on the lido should be sent to the head of planning, Civic Centre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 1PT, quoting W/05/02233/DW1.