Renovation work has started once again on an historic former hotel on the north Norfolk coast.

Scaffolding has been erected around the Trafalgar Court flats complex in Mundesley with repairs to the roof now being made and further work to come.

The building, which was built at the turn of the 19th century as an imposing fashionable clifftop hotel, has been badly in need of repair for many years.

Ravinder Sharma, from London Land Securities who own the building, said: 'We have commenced roofing work and soon we will commence with other work.'

He said the scaffolding would remain in place to do the remaining work on the outside of the building as well.

Mr Sharma's son, Sonal, who is part-owner of the building, said other work to be carried out included putting in a new skylight above the building's grand staircase, which will stay put.

He said: 'The external area will be done making the building water tight and internally there is carpentry work to be done and new ceilings to be put in, with everything to the correct regulations.'

It is hoped the work will be completed within 12 months.

Sonal Sharma said they also hoped to invite students from universities into the building to see it and find out about its history and also possibly local schools.

He added: 'Everyone is looking forward to the refurbishment of Trafalgar Court.'

The building has a long and chequered history. In 2001 tenants took London Land Securities to a tribunal in a dispute over service charges and won when the three-day tribunal ordered leaseholders' services charges to be cut by a third.

During the same year a further tribunal ruled that London Land Securities could not be trusted to run the property after tenants claimed it had run down the building.

A further tribunal appointed Robert Wells and Co, who are no longer involved with the building, to take over the management of the site and just over �500,000 was set aside to make sure the refurbishment project went ahead.

Work began on gutters, brickwork, windows and the roof was carried out in 2008, after being held up because of complex legal disputes involving the tenants and landlord.