UK: Owners of the fire-damaged hotel in East Sussex have submitted plans to demolish the bulk of the hotel, with only half of the front facade to be retained.
The Grade-II listed building, owned by Daish’s Holidays, caught fire on 22 November 2019. 12 fire engines were called to the scene.
Days later, the building began to crumble, with a second collapse occurring in December.
Eastbourne Borough Council is currently holding a demolition consultation, and work could begin within weeks.
The hotel was originally built as six houses as part of a long terrace, with the Burlington Hotel to the west. A design and access statement submitted to the council states the major fire destroyed virtually all of the structure except for the front elevation facing the seafront, the wall at the side of the hotel in Elms Avenue and Cavendish Place, House number 10 which is closest to the Burlington Hotel and low level walls to the rear.
A spokesperson at Moxley Architects said: “The proposal is that the existing structure is demolished except for House 10, with the principal elevations left up to first floor level.”
East Sussex County Council have issued an emergency order for the closure of Grand Parade for a period of 18 months, but the area could open earlier if it is deemed safe.
It said: “The council will continue to do everything in its power to return this section of the seafront to normal as quickly as possible, most importantly the re-opening of Grand Parade. Officers meet on a regular basis and we are liaising with businesses based close to the hotel and other neighbours. When the consultation closes we will issue an update on next steps.”
