Regeneration chiefs are pressing ahead with plans to build a real-snow ski slope near the Sunderland Aquatic Centre and the Stadium of Light.

The proposed development would be the jewel in the crown of Stadium Village, serving a potential customer base of 3.5million people from as far afield as Carlisle, Yorkshire and Berwick.

But Sunderland Council's environment watchdog committee has warned it could also lead to a massive traffic headache and called on council chiefs to take action early.

Tory transport spokesman Peter Wood said parking and traffic was already a problem on match days, when Aquatic Centre visitors could not park at the Stadium of Light and drivers dumped their cars in nearby streets.

"The new development is, of course, welcome, but the report does make the point that there are continuing concerns about parking which would, with more development in the area, worsen," he said.

"I do think we need to do more to find a solution. If the problem is going to get bigger rather than reduce, we're not going to get the most out of our excellent facilities."

Labour's Graeme Miller, chairing the committee, added: "We all want the city centre to have the facilities, but I do think we have to keep an eye on parking."

But Keith Lowes, the council's head of planning, warned the committee must not go over the top with parking or it could end up with land being taken up for car spaces and not much left for actual developments.

He added that developers were interested in the site because of its location in terms of accessibility and it was important to note that visitors would be able to use public transport or walk to the ski slope.

"It is positioned between two Metro stations – St Peter's and the Stadium of Light – it isn't far from the city centre, it's accessible from the East Coast rail system," he said.

"It's within 30 minutes' travel time of one million people and in the catchment area of 120 minutes – there's evidence that people will travel that far – there is 3.5million people."

Mr Lowes also pointed out that visitor numbers to the ski slope at any one time would be nowhere near the match day attendance figures at the Stadium of Light, which has a capacity of 49,000.

Tory councillor Richard Vardy asked if visitors would bring their own skis and carry them on the Metro.

Coun Miller said visitors to the dry ski slope in Edinburgh often did take equipment on public transport, and Mr Lowes said there would be hire facilities at the snow centre.