WORK on transforming Poole's Tower Park into a 21st century entertainment complex is to begin this year.

The planned multi-million pound revamp is the first since the centre opened in 1989 and will see around £4 million spent on building three new family restaurants and creating a covered walkway stretching from Splashdown to the UCI cinemas.

The existing building will be re-clad and the water flume tower will be removed to improve the look of the centre. The car park will also be rearranged, although there will still be the same number of spaces.

The investment for the revamp comes from X-Leisure, a company headed by former EuroDisney and Millennium Dome boss PY Gerbeau.

The firm bought the centre last year to add to its nationwide collection of X.Space and Xscape theme park-type facilities.

Andrew Russell, of X-Leisure, said: "2004 will see the commencement of the modernisation and improvement works at the Tower Park entertainment centre, following approval from the Borough of Poole.

"The improvement works include the construction of additional restaurant units, which we are currently in the process of letting.

"Once these lettings have been completed the modernisation programme will commence. We are committed to fulfilling Tower Park's potential as a family fun destination and are very excited about the future potential of Tower Park following the completion of the work."

Poole set a precedent with the creation of Tower Park on 53 acres of heathland more than a decade ago.

Then it was one of the first leisure parks in Europe - an idea which has since been copied by hundreds of towns and cities.