PLANS for a £4m "superchurch" serving thousands of people in the Hythe area have been unveiled.

Designed by an award-winning firm of architects, the Church of the Resurrection will be built on a hill overlooking Southampton Water if planning permission is granted.

The scheme has been devised by local Roman Catholics, who say the landmark structure will be the best public building on the Waterside.

Parishioners have already pledged £600,000 and the land occupied by two existing churches - St Michael's at Hythe and St Bernard's at Holbury - will be sold for housing to help raise the rest of the cash. The semi-circular building will occupy a one-acre site next to the former West Cliffe Hotel.

Parish Priest Father Ray Lyons, pictured above, said: "We hope to take the application to the district council's planning committee in June or July.

"If all goes well we aim to start building at the turn of the year and expect the project to take about 18 months.

"The scheme will include a youth facility, a meeting room and a large hall.

"There are about 3,200 Catholics living in the area but the facilities will be open to the whole community. It'll be the best public building on the Waterside and available to anyone who wants to use it."

The sale of the two existing churches is expected to raise about £1.25m. Father Ray added: "St Bernard's is far too small and St Michael's is falling down around our ears. The walls are cracking, the wood is crumbling and the roof is leaking in several places. We're hoping to keep the cost of the new church down to £4m. We're approaching the halfway mark thanks to the amount pledged by parishioners and the sum likely to be raised by the disposal of our existing assets."

Father Ray said the design of the new church would reflect its location near the New Forest and Southampton Water. He said: "Because we're in the Forest it will be a largely wooden building with four-metre high entrance doors made of solid oak. It will also have 12 "masts" representing the 12 apostles. The inspiration came from the boats moored in Hythe Marina."