Plans to demolish the former Carpetright store at the junction of Foss Islands Road and Layerthorpe and build a hotel in its place have been approved.
A new 188-bedroom Premier Inn with a restaurant and bar will be built at the site – with the developer saying there is demand for more hotel rooms in the city.
The Premier Inn on Blossom Street is usually 98 per cent fully booked, the planning committee heard.
Chris Argent, speaking on behalf of the hotelier, said the venue will bring 55 jobs to the city.
He added: “I think the application site is a great regeneration opportunity.
“It is currently a poor quality 1980s building. The hotel design really responds to the surrounding area, it’s not a standard hotel building.
“The proposal will offer additional hotel beds in accordance with the council’s tourism strategy.”
Four storeys high
He said the team met with the council and Historic England several times before submitting the application.
Cllr James Barker asked if the 43 planned parking spaces would be enough for a 188 room hotel.
Planning officers said guests will be encouraged to arrive by public transport, but that there are also three car parks nearby offering overnight parking. Customers will access the car park at the hotel from an entrance off Layerthorpe.
Councillors said the three to four storey hotel would be an improvement on the vacant building currently standing on the site.
York Civic Trust criticised the design of the hotel and wrote “a building of more considered design and aspiration is required if York is not to repeat failings of the last wave of redevelopment of the Foss Islands area in the 1980/90s”.
The scheme was approved by unanimous vote at a meeting on Thursday evening.