The floating resort would be sunny all year round

The holiday resort, named Pleasure Island, would be based two thirds of a mile off the coast of Brighton, between the city's two piers.

Architect Alan Phillips, from Alan Phillips Associates Ltd, said the artificial island, which is covered by a glass dome, would be filled with "sunlight" 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

The environment would be powered by thumb-sized photo-voltaic cells, which are fastened to the outside of the dome and transform sunlight into electricity.

I think a new island is fine and it will give Brighton a bit of breathing space Alan Phillips, architect

The electricity is channelled into tiny fluorescent cells, which are stuck on the inside of the dome and generate the heat and light.

Air would be sucked into the resort by valves on outside of the dome.

The resort would contain a conference centre, hotels, bars, restaurants and a reef.

An area of the development would also be set aside for low cost housing and flats.

The Brighton based architect behind the plans said he chose to create a floating resort as the city was becoming increasingly cramped.

'Global uniqueness'

Mr Phillips said: "It would give Brighton a global uniqueness, which will attract vast amounts of inward investment.

"After all Brighton is full up now and you cannot fit anything else in and everything we do as architects is about building here and here and here.

"I think a new island is fine and it will give Brighton a bit of breathing space."

Designs for the project are completed, but the island has yet to achieve planning permission.