Work on a 99-room Travelodge near Ipswich Town FC's ground is to start this week which has been heralded as a "real vote of confidence" for the town.
Leeds-based JW-G Construction has been appointed by the developers to build the hotel on the 2.6-acre Russell Road site, close to Portman Road Stadium.
The hotel will have a bar, a restaurant and car parking underneath the building.
Planning permission was obtained in July 2021 to develop the 84-space car park that had been underused since the closure of Better Gym and Staples/Office Outlet retail store.
The five-storey hotel will include 28 family rooms, 64 double rooms and eight accessible rooms, and feature car parking underneath the building itself in addition to some car park spaces which will remain.
In their application, the developers said: “The Travelodge will be ideally located in order to provide rooms for travelling football fans, as well as any other visitors to the area.”
Five retail units ranging in size from 4,327 sq. ft. to 11,032 sq. ft will also be built close to the site.
Ipswich borough councillor and portfolio holder for planning and museums, Carole Jones was "really pleased" by the news.
She said: "It's a real vote of confidence in Ipswich and the future.
"Building a hotel means Travelodge expects people to come and visit.
"They know having a hotel works in Ipswich as this is their second one.
"They have already shown their trust in Ipswich and know it's somewhere where you can make a business work."
Tony O'Brien, Travelodge, development director, agreed, saying: “Ipswich is growing from strength to strength and is attracting a record number of visitors however there is a shortage of good quality and low cost accommodation within the town.
"As research shows, on average Travelodge customers will spend double their room rate with local businesses which can equate to an annual multi-million pound boost for the Ipswich economy.
“Our current Ipswich Travelodge on Duke Street is set for a busy 2022 and our priority is to get this new hotel built and open for business as soon as possible."
The hotel would also employ around 15 full-time, and 15 part-time staff, with further economic activity being generated through the supply chain.
JW-G Construction managing director John White was very thankful to be appointed by the developer Daren Burney of Burney Group.
He added: “We will also enjoy collaborating with Dovetail Architects and Haydn Evans Consulting and further building on our good working relationship."
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