PROPERTY mogul Eddie Mitchell has revealed new, more ambitious plans for Sandbanks despite his last scheme failing to impress Poole council.

The scheme incorporates many aspects of the rejected proposal but includes a new information centre and lifeguard hub, an indoor soft play area and a multi-storey car park suitable for 555 vehicles.

Elite Skills Arena, the company part-owned by Eddie Mitchell which is behind the new plans, is also proposing refurbishing the beach cafe as well as building a new beach bar.

The plans also include a new bus and car drop-off area which Mr Mitchell claims would help to free-up traffic flow as well as a the introduction of additional retail units and flats in Banks Road.

Speaking to the Echo about his plans, Mr Mitchell said something needs to be done to Sandbanks because currently it is “uncared for, unloved and dangerous”.

“There’s obviously a group of people who feel very precious about the area and don’t want to see any development,” said Mr Mitchell.

“But the thing is we older generation have enjoyed Sandbanks for the last 20 to 30 years it’s now time to create something that the next generation of people can enjoy.

“I think this scheme does just that. It preserves everything that makes Sandbanks special but also introduces new aspects to the beach front which I think will only add value to Poole as a whole.”

Mr Mitchell said his new plans follow the council’s blueprint for seafront redevelopment (SPD) which it adopted in December last year.

In reference to Sandbanks the SPD talks about needing a low-rise decked car park, which would make efficient use of the site, freeing up land for potential development.

“The current car park is just 10 acres of Tarmac and it’s a shame because some of that land could be used for development to improve the area greatly,” said Mr Mitchell.

“We know our car park design is going to scare a lot of people but this is the average size of a multi-storey car park for 550 cars.

“What we would ideally like to build is an underground car park but unfortunately they are very expensive.

“We need development first that will create more income to pay for something like that which is why we suggested the arena, which would help create revenue 12 months of the year through open air concerts and a winter ice rink.”

Last week Poole council’s planning committee rejected Mr Mitchell’s proposal to transform the beach front at Sandbanks which included a 650-seat beach arena, 44 new beach huts, new children’s play areas, an outside classroom and sand dunes education area, a 3G multi use surface and a ticket office.

Reasons for refusal included inadequate car parking and lack of provision for additional toilet facilities.

The plans were a scaled-back version of the larger 3,900 seat arena he first proposed in December 2014 which were withdrawn by Mr Mitchell before it went before the council.

A public consultation on the new scheme takes place at the Haven Hotel at the end of June.