PLANS are in place for a "world-class" sporting and leisure facility in Hartlepool.

Daniel Robinson, of Gus Robinson Ltd, tonight joined Hartlepool United Football Club chief executive, Russ Green, in addressing local residents.

The development includes a new leisure centre, bowls club, hotel, housing, student accommodation and a new stand at Victoria Park, home of the town's football club.

Mr Robinson and Mr Green met town councillors on Monday to present their plans.

The whole development would appear to rest on the transfer of Victoria Park to the football club's owners, IOR Ltd. It pays a rent of £18,000-a-year and currently has a 55-year lease.

The project has a number of partners, with Mr Robinson's long-established town business the preferred developers.

"It would be an absolute tragedy if it fails," said Mr Robinson, talking to the recently-formed Mill House Area Action Group. "We hope to pull together every party involved and celebrate the identity of Hartlepool.

"We have plans for a world-class sporting facility and leisure facilities. It's a £37m development which could be worth £90m to the town.

"No-one in Hartlepool will help us but ourselves. We genuinely care about the town and the future of the town and its needs."

An EGM of Hartlepool Borough Council, set for June 28 to discuss the transfer, has been postponed to a future date.