A £5MILLION hotel is to be built on an "ugly" gap site in Glasgow city centre.
City councillors were today expected to give the go-ahead to the 11-storey building in Jamaica Street.
It will have up to 115 bedrooms but will be flexible enough to allow some rooms to be turned into suites.
The gap site is between two listed buildings, one now a bingo arcade and the Classic Grand concert venue and the other the Crystal Palace pub.
Steve Inch, executive director of development and regeneration, says in a report: "The existing gap site is blighting this part of Jamaica Street."
Most of Jamaica Street is lined with shops, hotels, pubs and nightclubs so a new hotel is regarded as appropriate for the location.
Mr Inch said: "It is considered the proposed development will make a significant and positive contribution to the regeneration of the surrounding area by developing this ugly gap site.
"Its contemporary architecture will complement rather than detract from the area."
Stephen Dawes, director of Glasgow development firm Greystones, said he was in discussion with a hotel chain but declined to give further details.
He added: "We think this is pretty much a prime location.
"The rating of the hotel will be reliant on the economic climate but it could be anything from a budget to a boutique hotel.
"People don't really drive into the city centre so the new hotel will have no parking and be reliant on public transport. However we are right next to the train station, the main thoroughfare to the Clyde and there's a good taxi service."
Mr Dawes said building work - expected to start early next year - will cost between £5m and £6m. It will be Greystone's first hotel development.
Anderston/City councillor Gordon Matheson said: "I warmly welcome this investment which will create jobs."
