Hotel to be built on former railway station site

Work on a new city centre hotel at the site of a former railway station will begin in 2027, it has been confirmed.

The hotel will be built on the site of the former Wakefield Westgate station and when completed it would "meet growing demand" from visitors and business travellers, according to Wakefield Council.

The 110-room hotel was also expected to boost tourism and create new jobs, with developers saying it was expected to open its doors to customers by winter 2028.

A council spokesperson said: "We want to give people the opportunity to stay for longer and enjoy everything Wakefield has to offer - that's great news for our businesses and the local economy."

The new hotel, to be built by ION Property Developments Limited, would also receive £8m in government support from the Local Regeneration Fund to make the scheme "financially deliverable", the council said.

Its proximity to the East Coast Main Line - with short journey times to Leeds - was also expected to attract business stays to Wakefield, the spokesperson said.

Matthew Pinder, cabinet member for district regeneration and regional growth, said: "This is a big step forward for our city's growth."

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