'Nationally significant' revamp of The Tropicana approved
Councillors made the decision yesterday
Major plans to reinvent Weston-super-Mare’s Tropicana as a “nationally significant” venue for culture, arts, and entertainment have been given the green light.
North Somerset Council’s planning committee voted 9-3 to approve the council’s own planning application for the transformation of the iconic former lido earlier today (May 14). The scheme means replacing the 1980s indoor venue on the site with a new purpose built indoor venue, while repairing and restoring the iconic 1930s promenade building.
Council leader Mike Bell (Weston-super-Mare Central, Liberal Democrat) said he was “very excited.” He said: “I’m very excited. I’m absolutely delighted it has been given approval. This is a really exciting scheme for Weston-super-Mare and crucially unlike all the failed schemes of the past, we are absolutely going to deliver it. And people can look forward to it opening next year.”
Construction will begin this summer with an aim to be complete by summer 2026. The venue will be able to host events of up to 1,000 people indoors — and a total of 5,000 people across the whole site.
It will create 15 full time jobs, along with hundreds of part time jobs for large events. It is believed it will generate £40m in economic benefits for the area over the next 10 years.
Mike Solomon (Hutton and Locking, Liberal Democrat), the council’s cabinet member responsible for seafronts and investment in the Tropicana, said: “This project will create new jobs, support local businesses and deliver a year-round experience-led economy for the future. We want to attract higher profile acts, culture and entertainment events to elevate Weston’s place within the regional, national and international scene.”
Despite support for the project, the planned new building has been controversial. When the plans for the new building were unveiled in January, they initially failed to impress, with some Westonians dubbing the planned building “brutalist” and a “1980s warehouse.”
The plans then went before the design review panel and were amended, with height of the planned new building and switching the bright white material it would have been made from for a mottled light grey.
Mr Solomon said: “This iconic landmark building has seen several changes over the years since opening in 1937 and the designs approved today support our vision to create a fit for purpose entertainment venue. They meet industry standards to help us attract the best operator for the next twenty plus years and take the venue into the future.
“Thanks to everyone who came to have their say on early proposals at the drop-in events last year, and those who took the time to comment on the planning application. People’s comments and ideas have helped us to shape and improve the designs that were approved today.”
He said: “With the planning application now approved, it’s full steam ahead to reinvent the Tropicana, a key destination at the heart of Weston’s seafront.”
The new building will be lit at certain times with a decorative display, although final design details will be agreed later. The plans will cut carbon emissions by 60%, with high levels of insulation, low carbon technology, and solar panels and heat pumps to generate most of its electricity and heat.
71 people wrote to the council to object to the plans, with 18 people writing in support. At the planning committee meeting today, Alan Rice of Weston Civic Society warned it would have a “significant and detrimental impact” on the seafront. He said that the panoramic sea view was an intrinsic part of the town;s identity and warned: “The introduction of a large, monolithic building at the heart of the seafront will inevitably obstruct and significantly harm this iconic view.”
But project manager Jason Reading said: “This will be a high quality venue that enhances the experience and enhances the seafront.”
Planning committee member Robert Payne (Liberal Democrat), who represents Weston-super-Mare Central which includes the Tropicana, had suggested it be approved only with a raft of amendments, including making it stop playing amplified music in the outdoor space at 9pm, instead of 11pm as proposed.
He said: “There’s already a problem with events in the Tropicana. … If we have larger events that can only get worse.” He said: “I’m very keen for this project to be a success, but we need to get it right.”
But there was no support from other members of the planning committee for his proposed amendments. Peter Bryant (Weston-super-Mare Uphill, Conservative) said: “I live 100 metres away from the Tropicana. I’m fully in favour of this. I don’t want to see any time limits on when you will close it because one thing you must accept when you live on the sea front: we are a holiday resort.” Mr Bryant said: “Let’s get on with it.”
Chris Blades (Clevedon Yeo, Conservative) said: “It’s not perfect but its in keeping with the Tropicana in a funny sort of way.” Tim Snaden (Portishead North, Portishead Independent) disagreed, calling the proposed building “architectural vandalism.”
John Crockford-Hawley (Weston-super-Mare Hillside, Liberal Democrat) said the committee had to make a dispassionate decision based on planning policy. He said that he thought the benefits for the town were outweighed by the harm to the Tropicana, warning that the new building was an “awkwardly built bulky slab set in the midst of what will become a subservient hangover from days gone by.”
But Terry Porter (Locking, Conservative), who said he used to play at the Tropicana in the 1950s and 60s and had jumped from the driving board, urged councillors to approve the plans, although he said it was “not the best bit of design”. He said: “This is our one opportunity. If we delay this, the funding will go.”
The current transformation of the Tropicana is being funded by £8.7m from the government’s Levelling Up Fund, but the council will lose out on this money if it is not spent by March 2026.
The committee approved the plans 9-3, with Mr Payne, Mr Snaden, and Mr Crockford-Hawley voting against. Mr Solomon is a member of the planning committee but sat out of this item, as it fell under his council cabinet portfolio. He said he was “Extremely pleased that this was passed today — and almost unanimously.
“And I’m very excited about the future and how we will be able to prove some of the dissenters wrong.”
After closing as a pool in 2000, the Tropicana stood vacant for years until Banksy used it as the setting for his Dismaland bemusement park in 2015. Since then, North Somerset Council has run the Tropicana as an events space for hire, attracting approximately 40,000–50,000 people a year. But the building did not cover operational costs and was in need of repair.
The council has been seeking an operator to run the venue for 20 years, with the successful operator to be announced this summer.