CONSTRUCTION is now fully under way on a new Travelodge Hotel in Hull city centre.

Hull-based Wykeland Developments is working with Realis Estates on the construction of the 80-bed building on Pryme Street.

Work on the £5 million project started four weeks ago and, with the foundations nearly completed, builders are preparing to put up the main steel structure.

The Travelodge, which will feature a bar, restaurant and 29-car parking spaces, is expected to be ready for business in April, creating 26 new jobs.

Dominic Gibbons, managing director of Wykeland Developments, said: "We're delighted Travelodge have the confidence in Hull to push ahead, especially in this economic climate.

"It's great they are bringing forward investment in the Hull area because there's not a great deal happening at the moment in construction."

The Travelodge project was first discussed about three years ago.

Mr Gibbons said: "I had been talking to Travelodge about another potential development. Through that they expressed a desire to be in the centre of Hull and we started looking for sites for them.

"This came up and was not on the market, but it was an ideal location and it was surplus to the council's needs."

The site, which was originally a car park, was purchased from Hull City Council and the hotel got planning permission in May last year.

Wykeland brought Birmingham-based Realis Estates in as a partner 18 months ago.

The partners worked closely with the council's planning department on the designs, which were drawn up by Wakefield-based architecture firm, the Harris Partnership.

Mr Gibbons said: "It was a very smooth process.

"We felt the challenges to our plans added value to what we were doing."

Travelodge's 25-year lease on the land signals a long-term commitment to Hull.

Mr Gibbons said: "They did a lot of background research and realised that Hull was somewhere they wanted to be. What is really pleasing is that they are still committed."