Swansea city council has announced eight firms have expressed an interest in developing a new multi-million pound sports and leisure centre for the city.

Swansea’s existing leisure centre was indefinitely closed last month due to its requiring £14m worth of repairs to keep it open.

The survey revealed that the condition of the existing leisure centre was such that the council was faced with no alternative but to close the site and keep it closed.

The council’s Iwan Davies said: “The building survey gave us no choice but to close the leisure centre on safety and cost grounds.”

However, deputy leader of Swansea council, Robert Francis Davies, has confirmed that it is ‘absolutely committed’ to replacing the existing centre.

He said: “We want to replace Swansea centre with a modern, multi-use leisure facility on the same site.”

CB Richard Ellis is to be employed by the council to launch a marketing drive, aimed at attracting operators for the new centre, while the expressions of development interest received so far has reportedly “delighted” some council members.