£15.5 MILLION HULL CITY CENTRE HOTEL PROJECT PROPOSAL

Application for Government funding to unlock potential of derelict site will help create over 60 full-time new jobs

Manor Property Group has revealed plans for a new £15.5 million hotel development in Hull City Centre. An application for just over £3-million from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund (RGF) has been made to help transform a derelict site into a three star, 140 bedroom hotel to be operated under a management agreement by a well-known and respected international brand.

The eight storey hotel will be built on the corner of Anne Street and Osborne Street on the site of the former Heaven and Hell nightclub. Manor has identified the potential to create over 60 new full time jobs in addition to employment of around 200 construction and ancillary trades people.

Mark Bailey of Manor Property Group said: "There is a recognised demand for quality business and tourism hotel accommodation in Hull. We have seen a growing number of events and festivals drawing thousands of visitors to the city and there will be an increased corporate need for hotel and meeting accommodation with new business demand being driven by a number of growth industries including the development of major new offshore wind farm projects giving the city region a significant boost as an emerging centre for renewable and low carbon economy development."

The RGF application would provide £3.3 towards the £15.5 million project with the balance of funding coming from the private sector.

The application states that the development would regenerate a city centre site where many other schemes in the city centre have stalled and help to claw back hotel, conference and business custom which has been lost to out of town accommodation.

The 140 bedrooms represent the optimum size in terms of development economics and hotel operations in this market segment and the provision of three to four star, quality accommodation is in short supply and more is justified by occupation levels and demand.

Manor's proposals for the new hotel are based on a striking white stone finish design by Makin Architecture from Manchester. It incorporates a paved garden area on the first floor along with two meeting rooms, a function room and a gym.

The Manor Cube scheme has been welcomed by Hull City Council, Councillor John Robinson Portfolio Holder for Image and Culture said: "The council fully supports this exciting project and looks forward to the opportunities it will bring to the city including new private sector jobs, training and development in tourism, promotion of the city region and the growth of conference marketing and events management."