An ‘iconic seafront building’ could be incorporated in housing development at Weston’s Dolphin Square, but blueprints for the 180-home complex are unlikely to be revealed until next year.

After months of delays, plans for the final phase of the Dolphin Square development are taking shape, with project managers North Somerset Council and Homes England – the Government housing quango – revealing more details on their vision for the site.

Around 180 flats are planned for the site – which is next to the leisure complex opened in 2017 – alongside a landmark building, according to Homes England.

A spokesman said: “The Dolphin Square development may include an iconic seafront building, reflecting the council’s aspirations for the town centre.

“Homes England is working closely with the council on this project and current application concept plans are in development for circa 180 apartments, ancillary ground floor non-residential uses and on-site car parking.”

The quango and the council are working in tandem to create hundreds of homes across the town centre at four key sites – Dolphin Square, Locking Road Car Park, Sunnyside Road, and Walliscote Place – with hopes of sparking economic prosperity.

Proposals for Locking Road Car Park and Sunnyside Road, which have been grouped together as the 400-home Gateway project surrounding Hildesheim Bridge, were showcased at a public consultation event in the summer. A planning application could be submitted by the end of the year.

Progress is also being made with the Walliscote Place site – made up of Weston’s former police station and magistrate’s court – with the police station set to be demolished next month and ‘cultural uses’ are being explored for the courthouse.

But the Dolphin Square development, comparatively, has made fewer strides, and Homes England has revealed a planning application is ‘unlikely’ to be submitted until 2019.

The quango had told the Mercury blueprints for Dolphin Square project would emerge before the end of 2017, but this has been delayed due to the problematic placement of an electricity substation which provides power to much of Weston.

Homes England spent the summer searching for a solution, but it is yet to find an answer.

It is, however, preparing to demolish the former Oxford Corner eatery with the business having relocated to South Parade.