Plans for the redevelopment of the Tropicana centre in Weston-super-Mare have progressed after two developers moved to the next stage of the evaluation process.

North Somerset Council (NSC) received expressions of interest from Harvard Tisdale and Nightingale Group, both of which are seeking to revamp the waterfront site. The local authority made the site available after a £48m leisure development was put on hold in May 2009 due to the recession.

NSC has stipulated that potential developers must incorporate a leisure/swimming pool open to the public on a casual basis and that has a minimum area of 450sq m (4,844sq ft). A council spokesperson said: "Following this initial evaluation process, both bidders will be invited to discuss outline proposals for the redevelopment of this prime seafront location.

"It is critically important that everyone has confidence that a scheme is commercially viable and therefore evaluation is the next stage of the process, together with looking at preliminary designs." Plans for the Lifestation@Tropicana scheme had been approved in October 2008, which included a six-lane, 25m swimming pool; a multiplex cinema; a 20-lane bowling alley and a hotel.

However, the project - led by developer Henry Boot - collapsed last year due to the recession.