The ambitious £30m council plan foresees making the island's seafront a major tourist destination on the south coast.

At the centre of the dream, designed by the same architects as the Spinnaker Tower, is a 50ft-tall glass tower which would light up at night to give a dramatic new skyline.

Havant Borough Council spent £35,000 funding the work of the consultants in drawing up ideas for the future.

But despite being welcomed by local residents and businesses there isn't a single penny in the kitty to fund the proposals. Instead council leaders are hoping the designs will kick-start the regeneration of the island and lead to investment from developers.

The proposals, if they ever come to fruition, would transform Hayling's southern shoreline from Ferry Point to Eastoke.

Beachlands would be turned into a new marine-themed complex incorporating 100 luxury flats, entertainment venues such as restaurants and cafes, and a futuristic funfair.

The planning consultants, who include Fareham-based architects HGP, want to create a timber boardwalk opening up a new promenade for the public to enjoy.

David Guest, in charge of regeneration at Havant Borough Council, which commissioned the design project, said: 'Hayling Island is a much-loved resort, but it is showing signs of age and lack of investment.

'A lot of people are choosing not to fly away on holiday because of cost and are looking for an alternative. We want that alternative to be Hayling Island.'

And he said: 'Once we have a plan in place developers may be attracted by that plan and hopefully will bring funding with it. We don't have the funding.

'All we can do is kick-start the thing and hopefully attract inward investment.'

The council intends to put the proposals out for public consultation next month.