A plan for a 150-bed Hilton hotel on derelict land off Plymouth Hoe is still very much alive, despite slow progress, according to the city council.

But before it it built, Plymouth City Council has applied for consent from its planning department to use the former Quality Hotel site as a storage compound for city centre redevelopment works for up to two years.

The land is currently being used as a storage area by a private contractor replacing cladding on a nearby block of upmarket apartments called Azure.

The local authority is seeking a temporary change of use to store materials for public schemes.

In a statement the council said: “We would like to reiterate this is only a temporary use as the intention is still very much to have the site redeveloped.

“Propiteer Hotels Limited is the council’s preferred developer for the site and they are proposing a Hilton Garden Inn along with residential apartments.

“There have been legal matters concerning the site and this has slowed progress. As a result, we are renegotiating milestone dates with Propiteer.”

The intention is to move material – mainly stone – from a compound at Millbay to the Cliff Road site to enable groundwork for an affordable housing development in Bath Street.

The scheme already has planning permission and will be delivered by Plymouth Community Homes, forming part of the long-term regeneration of the Millbay area.

The Quality Hotel was demolished in 2016 and the site has laid empty since, despite the council’s work with developers to bring forward another hotel plan.

It is estimated that the storage material will take up half of the site which will diminish over the next two years as it becomes required for city centre improvement projects including those to the Civic Square.