APARTMENTS at the site of the former Wessex Hotel in Bournemouth will be officially launched next month.

Demolition of the hotel took place in 2018, and since then the West Cliff Road site has been heavily redeveloped.

As well as the apartments, a new 105-bed Premier Inn will eventually be opened as well.

Two apartment blocks, matching the height of the five-storey hotel, have been constructed.

They include one, two and three-bedroom flats.

The developer Inland Homes has confirmed the apartments will be officially launched on September 11.

Vicki Noon, sales and marketing director for Inland Homes, said: "The demand for living by the coast has seen a huge surge in recent months, as buyers look to put down roots in a location they can call home for the long term.

"Offering a location with a bit of everything desirably close to the seafront, we expect a high demand for these properties, so interested buyers should act fast to register their interest."

The apartments will have access to underground parking and, once finished, Inland Homes says the complex will benefit from landscaped green spaces and lawn areas for residents to relax in.

The Wessex Hotel was originally built in 1891 under the name Hawthorns Hotel, before changing its name at the beginning of the 1960s.

It was the regular venue of the Wessex Dance Club for 27 years, and the home of Bournemouth’s second biggest ballroom, before its closure in 2016.

Planning permission for the new development was given by Bournemouth Borough Council in 2017.

As the complex took shape, Ms Noon said: "Inland is proud to be delivering the redevelopment of the former Wessex Hotel, which will form an integral part of the regeneration of Bournemouth.

"This development has all the attributes that will make it a great place to live, combining high quality homes and a hotel facility within an attractive coastal setting.

"We are excited for the local residents of Bournemouth to see the next stage of the development progress."