A 150-room Hilton Garden Inn hotel and three blocks of flats are to be built on Plymouth Hoe on the spot where a previous hotel was demolished.
Plymouth City Council has announced that Propiteer Hotels Ltd has been selected as the preferred developer for the former Quality Hotel site.
Partnering with Hilton, a leading global hospitality company, they plan to build a Hilton Garden Inn with 150 guest rooms and a skybar, offering panoramic views of The Sound.
The council has agreed terms with Propiteer Hotels to acquire the site which would also see 142 residential apartments built in three separate blocks.
A decision authorising the sale was signed off recently and contracts have now been exchanged for the conditional sale of the site.
Council leader Nick Kelly said: “A world leading hotel brand in a prominent and historic location. This is brilliant news for Plymouth, for the city’s tourism industry and for the residents living in this part of the waterfront.”
“Delivering an outcome befitting of this location has at times been challenging, but I am delighted to say that we now have a solution.”
Propiteer Hotels currently has a number of construction projects ongoing across the UK, focusing on the branded hotels and residential sectors.
Since 2016, Propiteer Hotels has been a strategic partner for Hilton with one of the latest hotel development projects including Hilton Garden Inn Peterborough city centre, due to open later this year.
Mike Aspinall, director of Propiteer Hotels, said: “We are delighted to be investing in Plymouth and to have secured this outstanding location.
“Hilton Garden Inn Plymouth marks a further collaboration with Hilton and builds on our successful partnership. We look forward to welcoming guests to enjoy the beautiful views of The Sound at what will be the finest hotel in the city.”
Graham Dodd, managing director, development, UK & Ireland, Hilton, said: “Plymouth is very high on our list of strategic locations in the UK. Our aim is to shine a spotlight on Plymouth within our global network, encouraging both domestic and international visitors to this historic city.
“With Propiteer Hotels Limited being a long-term strategic partner for Hilton, we look forward to working closely with them and the Council on this fantastic property.”
A total of 12 companies submitted bids for the site, which has been vacant since 2016. Detailed pre-application discussions will get underway with the planning authority ahead of a planning application being formally submitted.
The development work is expected to begin in late 2023. Some surface-level parking will be provided with the majority of the parking provided below ground. Upon completion, the team behind the proposals estimates creating 50 full-time jobs, with up to 100 construction jobs during the building process.
Plymouth City Council purchased the site of the former Quality Hotel in January 2016 and demolished the building, which was an eyesore. The site was marketed for development and Henley Real Estates Development selected as preferred partner. The council entered a conditional agreement to sell the site to them in December 2016. The company obtained planning permission for a mixed hotel and residential development, but were unable to progress the scheme. The planning consent expired in 2019 and the agreement came to an end.
