A NEW 168-bedroom boutique hotel will be built in Piccadilly, York - at the former Banana Warehouse site.

The venue will be operated under the Tribute brand – part of the Marriott portfolio - and was granted planning approval by City of York Council last week.

The planning committee asked that solar panels be installed on the roof of the hotel, which will be three to five storeys high.

And that the 200 construction jobs created as part of the building phase will go to local companies and support apprenticeships and training for city residents.

The hotel will be built next door to the Hampton by Hilton - currently under construction - and the meeting heard that the Hampton is a “quite significantly bigger building” which was granted planning permission in February 2019.

A spokesperson for developer Axcel Group told the committee: “We’re very confident that the scheme before you will make a positive contribution towards the city centre in many ways.

“Tourism uses in the Castle Gateway area are encouraged.”

Cllr Andy D’Agorne said: “I very much welcome this and we should note the retention of the facade of the Banana Warehouse - although not a listed building it does very much reflect the history of the city.We’ve sadly lost the building opposite which was the aeroplane factory, but this does help to reflect the totality of history, to retain some facades.”

Cllr Tony Fisher added: “It doesn’t obscure anything that, in my view, is critical, and it also removes the view of some pretty grotty derelict buildings which are currently on the site. I think it will actually improve the views from certain historic areas of the city.”

Cllr Claire Douglas said: “I’m really glad to hear the applicant will be using a local contractor and supporting employment and training for local young people.”

But Cllr Pete Kilbane said: “I’ve got a lot of sympathy with the objectors who say that the last thing York needs is another hotel - and what it does need is facilities for York people - the suggestion of a cultural quarter. But of course we don’t have a Local Plan that we can hang these things on.”

The plans were unanimously approved.