A giant shroud with advertisements could be put on the remains of a fire ravaged hotel while work is carried out to rebuild the structure.
Plans have been submitted to Brighton and Hove City Council to place a temporary externally illuminated scaffolding shroud to the east and south elevation of the Royal Albion Hotel in Brighton.
Plans say most of the shroud would show the former façade of the hotel, with parts used for advertising. Advertising revenue would be used to fund the refurbishment, plans said.
The Grade II listed hotel, which lies on the A259, was wrecked by fire in July 2023. Parts of the hotel have since had to be demolished due to fears there could be a “catastrophic failure” of the remaining part of the building’s damaged section.
In planning documents, planning consultants Lewis and Co wrote: “The application seeks consent to shroud the scaffolding which is necessary for the refurbishment of the site. The shroud would provide a decorative 1:1 image of the building façade, which allows the building to greater resonate with local character, and reduce the visual impact of the works being undertaken.
“Inset within this shroud are advertising areas, on the south elevation and on the east elevation measuring approximately 15m by 8m.
“Advertisement consent is sought for a period of two years, with the revenue from the advertisement areas funding the building shroud, and the redevelopment/refurbishment of the site.”
In January, deputy leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, Councillor Jacob Taylor, slammed Britannia Hotels Group, which owns the hotel.
In response, Britannia gave its “firm intention” that plans will go ahead. A website has been set up about the project, with Construction company Bloomsbury Group appointed to take on the major scheme.
A spokeswoman for Britannia said in January: “We’re currently in pre-application negotiations with the planning and heritage officers at Brighton and Hove City Council regarding our proposals to refurbish the Royal Albion Hotel.
“This includes replacing the parts of the building damaged in the fire. It is our firm intention to submit full plans as soon as this pre-application advice has been received.”
Speaking to The Argus that month, Cllr Taylor said the council had been chasing Britannia to pay the £1.7 million cost incurred by the authority to make the site secure.
The councillor said Britannia had paid £1.34 million in total, including £537k in October, then £304k at year end.
The council remains in negotiations about various other "residual amounts", Cllr Taylor added.
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