RESIDENTS and visitors alike followed the building of David Gilmour's seafront house with fascination.

Now The Argus has taken a look back at what it was like before.

Pink Floyd guitarist Gilmour, 74, and his wife, author Polly Samson, 58, first purchased the Medina House site in Hove in 2015.

Their new building was designed by award-winning architect Keb Gavarito-Bruhn, and was based on the design of the former Turkish baths which had become derelict for many years.

Squatters had got into the property and caused significant damage inside, and fires in 2014 and 2015 left the building wrecked.

The building itself, which dated back to 1894, was beyond repair, and planning permission was granted to demolish it in 2017.

Now the home is complete and most people are hugely impressed by the work to transform the building.

Dating back to 2009, pictures show the derelict building before Gilmour took it over.

By June 2019, building work can be seen to be well under way, with scaffolding erected around the site.

The Argus: David Gilmour's home under construction David Gilmour's home under construction

The original Medina House, which dates from 1894, was a distinctive three-storey building which formerly housed a laundry and women’s slipper baths.

It formed part of the larger Medina Baths complex, which stretched to the western corner of Sussex Road and also contained two swimming pools and men’s slipper baths.

Gilmour agreed to replace the historic building with a design that would reflect the original spirit of the bathhouse.

The resulting property house is considered to be one of the most expensive in the city.

And many neighbours have expressed their delight at the new building.

The Argus: Scaffolding was erected around David Gilmour's Hove home Scaffolding was erected around David Gilmour's Hove home

Miles Rose previously told The Argus: "We were very happy with David’s proposals. What he is doing is something that should have been done about 15 years ago.

“What he is doing is to recreate something in keeping with the area and I think it’s good to keep the character of Brighton and Hove alive.”

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Work has been completed by Size Group Design and Build. Gilmour also owns a Grade II listed seafront property nearby, purchased in 2009.

Mr Rose said the star’s actions and choice of location showed he “clearly had a passion for the area”.