PLANS for an £18m water park at a leading seaside resort have been given the go-ahead.

The new development will see the park built in Scarborough's North Bay, and could attract up to half a million visitors a year, but the council also hope it will kick-start wider development of the area.

Council leader Tom Fox used delegated powers to approve the scheme - by developer Benchmark Properties - and the authority is expected to provide a loan of up to £9m of the £18m cost of the attraction, which will be built on Burniston Road car park.