Tourism officials are making the point that a tendering process is the fairest way to determine how the former Summerland site could be redeveloped.

Plans for a leisure complex fell through last autumn and a local property developer, who initially put in a bid for the contract, recently expressed surprise the government hadn't come back to him.

However, it's being stressed the new tender process must to be open to all potential developers, in the interests of the taxpayer.

It's being pointed out that the awarding of a contract could be open to a legal challenge, if that were not the case.

Firms interested in creating a new leisure facility will be invited to put forward proposals later this month.