PLANS for a £20 million redevelopment of the former Banana Warehouse into a luxury hotel have been submitted to City of York Council.

Hotel developer and operator Axcel Group says the proposals for a 159-bedroom Marriott brand hotel on the site of the landmark building in Piccadilly have been changed, following a public consultation.

“The proposals have been amended, including reducing the highest elements of the development by one storey, simplifying the design on the upper floors and providing more open space and landscaping to the rear of the building, towards the River Foss,” said a spokesman.

Director Oushan Deeljore said submitting the application was a key milestone in rejuvenating the important site and bringing it back into use.

“Throughout the consultation stage we have listened to all comments and amended the plans,” he said.

“The overall feedback to the proposals was very positive, with many people having a strong desire to regenerate this large brownfield site.”

The spokesman said leading designers, Comprehensive Design Architects, had been working on the proposals to ensure the retention of the iconic warehouse facade on the front of the existing building.

The warehouse, originally used to ripen, bananas was a second hand furniture business for many years until it shut down in 2016.

The Marriott hotel is set to be built next to another new hotel being proposed for Piccadilly, a 155-bedroom Hampton by Hilton.

“The Press reported in June that plans for the six-storey hotel, next door to the Ryedale building, had been resubmitted to the council.