A derelict hotel which once played host to Charles Dickens and former Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli could be restored to its former glory.

It is hoped the Royal York Buildings, which have stood empty in Brighton's Old Steine for years, could once again attract the city's visiting glitterati if it is transformed into a luxury boutique hotel.

Plans to revamp the Grade-II listed building, parts of which date back to 1771, have been submitted to Brighton and Hove City Council by The London-based Imperial Property Company, which is also behind the renovation of the Lansdowne Place hotel, formerly known as the Dudley Hotel, in Lansdowne Place, Hove.

Brighton-based architects Lomax Cassidy and Edwards (LCE) are working on the design and, if plans are passed, building work could start soon.

The restoration of the 28,000sqft building would create 51 en-suite hotel rooms and a restaurant. The top floor would be converted into a mixture of eight one and two-bedroom apartments.

Nick Lomax, LCE partner, said: "We are very pleased to be putting the building back to its historic use. It is a very important building in that particular area of Brighton."

In the Edwardian era it was a famous hotel run by the ebullient Sir Harry Preston but it was sold to Brighton and Hove City Council in 1929 and used as offices. It was vacated by social care staff in 2003.

Friday, October 21, 2005