EDDIE Mitchell’s planned Sandbanks stadium risks becoming “Poole’s Imax” according to some residents – but developers claim the investment is needed to stop the area "lagging behind".

Visual displays of the proposed 2,000 seat Sandbanks Sand Sports Stadium were unveiled at a Haven Hotel public exhibition yesterday.

Replacing the peninsula’s 1920s pavilion, the project would include 40 ground floor beach huts, 20 exclusive glass boxes on the first floor, four three-bed beach studios and 16 twin bed and mini-studios.

And Mr Mitchell hopes the stadium will become the national home for beach football.

Those inspecting the plans, however, poured scorn on the ideas. Resident Diane Leather described it as the “completely unnecessary commercialisation of the area”.

“I’m disgusted – it’s totally the wrong thing to do here,” she said.

“It’s just an eyesore. At the moment you have an old fashioned 1920s look that is so lovely on that beach front – that’s why people come down here.

“There’s a chance it could be used for concerts – why on earth would you want to have a concert down on the beach? People come to the beach to hear the water, have the kids screaming and shouting on the sand – not to hear a load of old music and roaring crowds sat behind them.”

Pauline Johnson, who frequently visits her sister on Banks Road, said: “It will end up like the Imax. We need to keep some of our history – not rip it all out. That’s what these plans would do.”

Former Bournemouth School teacher Laura Fisher added: “That car park is sometimes full at 9am if it’s a heatwave weekend. This thing is going to make things 10 times worse.

“It’s an eyesore. It’s not something this area needs or wants.”

John Montgomery, director of planning consultants Baker and Tilly, told the Daily Echo the plans had been driven by the council’s own policies on building a sustainable seafront.

“We are trying to get a facility that is an all year round facility – that is lacking at the moment,” he said.

“Some people would just like to see everything stay exactly as it is. But a lot of people agree it is time for more investment in Sandbanks. The pavilion has lagged behind the rest of the peninsular.

“The concept is multi-functional. It can be used for sporting events, beach football and volleyball. But it can also be used for concerts and exhibitions in the summer.”

The plans will need to be approved by Poole council's planning committee before they can be implemented.