A hotel which partially collapsed during a £5 million renovation is to be torn down.

Owners of the Sackville Hotel in Kingsway, Hove, have been forced to abandon their original plan to transform the seafront hotel into a luxury five-star residence after an engineer's report said the building was beyond repair.

They were unavailable for comment yesterday but are said to be devastated.

When part of the roof collapsed last month, the developers vowed to continue with the renovation project.

It is not known what will now happen to their plans, which included building flats on top of the hotel and at the rear and installing a new swimming pool, gym, sauna and spa.

Any new build on the site will have to be approved by planners.

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokeswoman said: "The Sackville Hotel engineer's report found the building had sustained some more damage, making it beyond reasonable repair. The council's building officers have agreed with those findings.

"Any new build will have to be the subject of a new planning application."

Under the original scheme, just two distinctive towers, which support the front and side of the building, were to be knocked down. The demolition was delayed when high winds battered the seafront at the end of last month, substantially damaging the structure. Only a concrete dome on the west side has been removed so far.

The Kingsway was closed for the second time in a month after fears the towers were about to collapse.

The middle section of the hotel was destroyed on April 28 when the roof collapsed, showering debris on to the road.

No one was injured but part of the road was cordoned off to protect motorists and pedestrians from any falling debris.

Owners Sackville Hotel Ltd wanted to restore the 1904 building.

It had been due to reopen in 2007 but that timetable is now likely to be delayed.

The building was originally four houses, which later became an extension to Girton House School for Girls.

In 1927 the four houses became the Sackville Hotel, known for its marble pillars on the facade and its two domes on the front corners.