WORK is set to get underway on an exclusive seafront members’ club almost two years after planning consent was granted.

Soho House has indicated that demolition work on the Madeira Drive site will begin this September with the aim of the £60 million complex opening at an unspecified date next year.

It had initially been hoped the venue – which will include restaurants and bars, an open air plunge pool and new terraces – would have opened this spring but this was pushed back to the autumn and now into 2018.

In the meantime more hoardings will go up this summer following an intervention by council leader Warren Morgan responding to concerns about the seafront’s appearance.

The site has been surrounded by security gates and hoardings since its closure but residents say that has not stopped squatters gaining access in the past.

It is hoped Soho House, along with the Brighton Zip, The Sea Lanes swimming pool and the Madeira Terraces’ restoration, will breathe new life into the seafront east of the pier.

But residents have questioned whether all the attractions will mesh together harmoniously, querying how private club clientele are likely to react to the close proximity of the Zip, currently under construction, and which was granted planning consent a year after Soho House.

George Davies, a resident of the Van Alen building overlooking Soho House, said: “The position of residents in the building now that planning permission has been granted is that we just want them to get on with it. All of this part of the seafront desperately needs an upgrade.

“We now have a couple of temporary buildings in place with the Zip including a fish and chip shack which is almost directly in front of where the Soho House sun terrace is due to be which makes it interesting.”

Fellow resident Terry Kinsella said it was “a pity” that the Terraces restaurant had been left derelict in the delay over starting construction.

He added: “If I was a Soho House member I’m not sure I would be very pleased about people sliding down the zip.”

Soho House construction is being coordinated with its neighbour, The Sea Life Centre.

General manager Max Leviston said: “The landlord needs access to the Sea Life Centre to carry out works on Soho House. The Sea life Centre has some structural works that we intend to carry out in this area too so we are looking to carry that out at the same time to minimise impact to the business and to the creatures. Animal husbandry is always our top priority.”