The first new park in Brighton and Hove for more than a generation has been formally opened by the mayor Mohammed Asaduzzaman and council leader Bella Sankey.

They cut a ceremonial ribbon yesterday (Friday 16 May) to mark the official opening of the £13.7 million Hove Beach Park.

The seafront park stretches from the King Alfred Leisure Centre to Hove Lagoon and marks the climax of seven years of work which started with local community groups and involved a successful bid for government funding.

Various sections of the revamped seafront have already drawn crowds of visitors and residents as the different phases of the work have been completed.

The first section opened last September and included a skatepark, pump track and roller area.

Since then, the council said, a new bowls clubhouse, padel and tennis courts, gardens and new pathways had opened – as well as an outdoor sports hub, café and public toilets.

The existing croquet and bowls lawns have also reopened – and the final element, the sand sports area, is expected to welcome its first visitors in August.

The opening ceremony marked the start of a weekend of free activities to celebrate the occasion, with padel exhibition games scheduled for yesterday evening.

Anyone interested in padel will be able to watch games on the courts and talk to coaches about one of the country’s fastest-growing sports.

Today, the programme included an introductory bowls session on the bowling green and a jam session in the skatepark and pump track area.

And tomorrow, a skate jam is being held at the skate plaza from 10am until 6pm along with an introduction to croquet drop-in session on the croquet lawn from midday and 4pm.

The council said that people of all ages would be welcome.

Councillor Sankey, the Labour leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, said: “I am extremely proud and excited to be formally opening the first new park in the city in more than 100 years.

“This project has been evolving since 2018 through the work of local community organisations, particularly the West Hove Seafront Action Group and West Hove Forum.

“Working in partnership, we identified underused facilities and green spaces on the seafront and developed a plan to reinvigorate this key area of the city.

“The result is a linear park with attractive spaces, better biodiversity and a range of recreational activities for residents and visitors of all ages to enjoy.”

Councillor Sankey added: “Hove Beach Park will be a landmark on Hove seafront, a great destination in its own right, with accessibility for all at the forefront of the design.

“From gardens and cafes to BMX, padel and sand sports, we have already had a really positive response to the park.

“I hope the exciting programme of events lined up for the opening weekend will give many more people the chance to discover and enjoy these great new facilities.”

The council said: “Hove Beach Park was originally launched as the Kingsway to the Sea project. The new name was decided in a public vote in February 2024.

“Hove Beach Park represents an investment of more than £13 million in the city, including £9.6 million in funding from the UK government.”