Plans for the development of a Hilton Garden Inn hotel in Stoke-on-Trent city centre have been given planning permission by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

The 140-bedroom hotel, which will be built at Genr8 Developments’ £170m Smithfield Trent mixed use quarter, and will create over 50 new jobs.

Cllr David Conway, leader of the city council, said: “I’m delighted the plans for this landmark hotel have been given the go-ahead. This will be a major milestone in the continued transformation of the city centre and will improve the hotel offer in Stoke-on-Trent, which is vital if we are to be successful with our UK City of Culture 2021 bid.”

The new hotel will be delivered by Genr8 and the city council, with Genr8 starting the tender process to find the main construction contractor for the hotel in September 2017. The new hotel is expected to welcome its first guests in 2019 and will be within walking distance of the main retail area, museum and theatres, and within a short drive to national attractions such as Alton Towers and Trentham Gardens.