North Somerset Council (NSC) has backed plans for the £50m Leisuredome development, which will be located on a former Royal Air Force site near Weston-super-Mare.

The 12.7-acre (5.1-hectare) complex will feature a 210m (689ft) indoor real ski slope - one of the UK's largest; a 40m (131ft) climbing wall; and an indoor surfing centre. A sky-diving facility is also proposed as part of the all-weather extreme sports development, which will form part of the Locking Parklands scheme being led by developer St Modwen.

Other facilities earmarked for Leisuredome include a health club; a children's activity zone; and a crèche, with the proposals now due to go before the communities secretary. Leisuredome (UK) director Clive Hamilton-Davies said: "Our development will build on Weston's growing reputation as a leisure destination and the success of the Grand Pier which reopened last year.

"We estimate it will attract 550,000 visitors in the first year, which will add to the £369m already generated by tourism in the local economy every year." It is hoped that work will commence on site by the end of the year, with completion due in early 2013. Sir Robert McAlpine has been named as the primary contractor.

GVA; Cooper Partnership; Clarke Willmott; Key Transport; and Andy Rooke Financial Consultancy with Chartwell Funding have also been involved with the project.