Campaigners trying to save an historic lido have been promised that the site will never be flooded with new homes.
The pledge came from Conservative council leader Mary Mears, who is also one of the ward councillors for the area.
Councillor Mears said that she plans to call a “summit” to look at ways to protect Saltdean Lido and ensure it is a viable attraction.
She was speaking less than a week after the lido, in Saltdean Park Road, Brighton, was given Grade II* listed status to protect it from unsympathetic development. It was previously a Grade II listed building.
Her remarks were a response to worries among residents about plans by the leaseholder, Dennis Audley, to put more than 100 flats on the site.
Councillor Mears said: ““I want both the leaseholder and residents to forget about the idea of putting significant amounts of housing on this site.
“It is a complete non-starter.
“The council will never allow it.”
She pointed out that Brighton and Hove City Council not only the freehold owner of the site but also the planning authority.
And she noted that Mr Audley had not submitted a formal planning application despite announcing an ambitious scheme for the site last year.
Councillor Mears said: “I am going to call a meeting shortly between the Save Saltdean Lido campaign, the Saltdean Community Association who sublet it, plus experts and lawyers from the council.
“The aim would be to see how we can protect the lido as a listed building and make it a permanently viable attraction.
“The current leaseholder is in dispute with the council over a number of issues.
“He needs to understand we will not back any major development plans and he needs to negotiate about the lido’s future accordingly.
“The reason we backed that star listing application was to give the building extra protection from the kinds of proposals we were hearing.
“As a starred building, English Heritage would also have to approve any development.”
Councillor Mears said that she expected invitations to the private meeting with residents’ representatives to be sent out in the next few days.
Officials said that there were various legal complications preventing progress with the lido which could not lawfully be made public.
Councillor Mears said that the authority was though “continually trying to make progress over the issue behind the scenes”.
This is great news. I grew up in Saltdean and used to visit the lido every summer. It’s a real shame it isn’t being used to its full potential. The idea of turning it into flats is an awful one!