North Somerset Council rejects Tropicana revamp plan

Several attempts to redevelop the derelict Tropicana site have failed since it closed in 2000

Proposals to redevelop the Tropicana seaside attraction in Weston-super-Mare and save it from being demolished have been rejected by the council.

Trop (WsM) Ltd commissioned a report looking into the viability of turning the building into a leisure complex.

But North Somerset Council has concluded the report findings were not viable, over-ambitious and depended too heavily on external grants.

Trop Ltd said it was "extremely disappointed" with the council's views.

Legal challenge

Councillor Tony Lake, the executive member for property, said: "Grant funding all over the country is difficult because of the current economic situation, so there's very little available as far as we can see and we've consistently said grants from the council are not an option."

Trop (WsM) Ltd has also launched a judicial review over the council's intention to knock down the building.

The legal ruling over the demolition will be made by the secretary of state.

Since the resort closed in 2000, several attempts have been made to revamp the site but all of them have failed.

A spokesman for Trop (WsM) Ltd added that the council also "admitted being unable to properly assess our proposals when we initially presented them".