AS THE final traces of the fire-ravaged Falmouth Beach Hotel are removed from the Cliff Road complex, plans for the new hotel have been submitted to Cornwall Council.

All that is left standing at the site is the old walk-in freezer from the old hotel’s kitchen, which is set to be removed by specialists this week.

The site will then be prepared for the new building, which, if planning permission is granted quickly, could be open for business as early as January 2014.

The plans submitted to Cornwall Council are for a 67-room hotel to be built to a similar design to the old building.

With the other buildings at the complex which were left standing after the fire, it will mean it will reopen as a 106 room business, with just 14 fewer bedrooms than the original hotel.

Ryan Ohly, pictured above, manager at the hotel, said: “The plans have been submitted, and we are hoping permission will be granted for them at the beginning of December.

“If that happens, we will get contractors on site as soon as possible, and we are hoping we will be able to reopen to the public in January 2014.

“The demolition is just about complete now, it has been a weird feeling looking out at just a freezer for the past few days.

“I will be pleased when it is completed, it will be nice to have the last few traces of the fire removed and we can start looking forward properly.”

He added: “It will be nice to see the new hotel started.”

The gym complex at the hotel is set to reopen to the public on Monday. Accessible through the entrance to the hotel on Gyllyngvase Hill, the fitness centre will be open from 7am until 10pm daily.