Wakefield to sign off £8m towards hotel

Looking to boost the city centre economy, the council’s cabinet will next week be asked to rubber-stamp support enabling ION Property Developments to progress the scheme through planning and development.

Should funding be confirmed, ION would trigger site investigation works at the site next to Wakefield Westgate, complete design works and head to planning in spring 2027.

Potentially work could start on site by summer, with completion to follow in winter 2028/29.

ION is a vastly experienced city centre regeneration firm, with a long track record of delivery on its home patch of Liverpool and the Wirral, as well as cities such as Wolverhampton.

In May this year, the business was merged with the UK developments arm of a regular JV partner, international construction giant Vinci.

Cllr Matthew Pinder, cabinet member for district regeneration and regional growth, said: “This is a big step forward for our city’s growth. We want to give people the opportunity to stay for longer and enjoy everything Wakefield has to offer. It will help create new jobs and bring more people into our district. That’s great news for our businesses and the local economy.”

The council said that delivery of a mid-range hotel in the city centre is expected to boost tourism and contribute to Wakefield’s visitor economy. Allied to that, it believes the provision of at least 110 rooms near the East Coast main line, with short journey times to Leeds, will also attract business stays, Leeds being perhaps the most undersupplied of major UK cities for hotel stock.

To support the hotel development, up to £8m has been provided from the Local Regeneration Fund to make the scheme financially deliverable.

Overhauling the Wakefield city centre offer has been a major topic this year, with something of a back-and-forth taking place over The Ridings shopping centre, before the council secured the centre for £11m, a deal seen as necessary to enable the Muse-masterplanned Cathedral Quarter.