Work is ongoing that will see a hotel on Aberystwyth’s seafront which was ravaged by fire in 2018 restored back to a hotel, after a plan to use the site for flats was abandoned.

Emyr Davies, the owner of Ty Belgrave on Marine Terrace, initially lodged plans with Ceredigion County Council that would see the devastated building rebuilt, but turned into flats instead of a hotel.

The plans to turn it into flats were abandoned by Mr Davies after he couldn’t prove “the continued use as a hotel was financially unviable”, and an application for listed building consent to “reinstate and refurbish the property as an hotel” was approved last year.

Work to rebuild the building has begun, and several amendments to the permission have been applied for following the start of work.

A planning report from officers said that permissions for refurbishment and reinstatement work at neighbouring Grosvenor House and Belle Vue hotels - both damaged by the blaze - had been approved - with work to restore the party wall between the Belle Vue and the new Ty Belgrave subject to discussions.

The plans were delayed, the report said “due to the police investigation and insurance claim applications for both the Belgrave House Hotel and the Belle Vue Hotel have been delayed.”

The report said that the fire “completely destroyed the building” with only the external walls remaining.

“Originally the proposal was to change the use of the building from a hotel to flats,” council planners said.

“To do this the applicant would need to provide adequate justification for the loss of the hotel use which would include details that the continued use as a hotel was financially unviable.

“Providing evidence to support this was not possible therefore the applicant altered the proposed works to refurbish the property as an hotel, and reinstate the layout as it was prior to the fire.”

Council planners said the authority “is keen to ensure that this building is brought back to use as soon as possible to minimise the damage to the original fabric which is currently exposed to the elements, and secure the removal of more scaffolding from Marine Terrace.”

The fire at Ty Belgrave on 25 July 2018 was later discovered to be an arson attack which saw guest Juozas Tunaitis killed and major injuries suffered by another guest, Richard Simnett, who fell while trying to escape the blaze with his family.

Damion Harris admitted starting the fire, but said he could not remember why he had done it.

Harris was sentenced to 16 years in prison after admitting manslaughter, arson and causing grievous bodily harm.