COUNCILLORS have given their approval for a new 120 bed Moxy hotel to be built on the Hungate site, despite concerns the building could overshadow a historic pub next door.

The city council’s planning committee last night granted planning permission for a 120 bedroom hotel next door to the Hiscox offices.

The hotel will be in a new L-shaped new building behind the Black Swan pub on Peasholme Green, with five storeys stepping down to three storeys behind the grade II* listed building.

The plans had met opposition from some, who feared the proposals would dwarf and dominate 15h century building.

However the planning committee voted overwhelmingly to support the plans, backing a recommendation planning staff had already made.

Cllr Ann Reid, chairman of the planning committee, said: “This has clearly been going to be a hotel site for a while, and whilst we can discuss whether we need another hotel if the operator feels there is room for one, that is their business.

“This is a bit of a funny site, because the frontage is quite constrained but what they have done it quite innovative.”

The planners’ report to the committee showed they did not believe the new hotel would harm any heritage assets or their setting.

However the plans did meet opposition from some of the councillors, with Cllr Hilary Shepherd saying the setting of listed buildings like the Black Swan should be carefully protected and enhanced by new developments.

“I don’t think this development does that,” she added.

Her Labour party colleague Cllr Janet Looker, in whose Guildhall ward the site sits, said she felt the building had been “shoehorned” into the site.

Local resident Andrew Finch, who lives in the Hungate development nearby, had urged the councillors to refuse the application.

He said while Hiscox had been very good neighbours, the hotel would not operate on the same 9 to 5 timescale and could bring raucous behaviour into the early hours to a residential area.

He also raised concerns about road safety for both cyclists and pedestrians, and the appearance of the planned building.

However planning agent Janet O'Neill said the plans were sensitively designed, and reminded councillors of the “mess” the site was currently in.

Developers Vastint Hospitality revealed in 2015 that Moxy Hotels were planning a new 120 bed hotel on the site.

The planning agent said last night the three star hotel would be aimed at the mid-range market, and would offer breakfast only meaning only a limited number of deliveries would be made.