Principal contractor appointed for landmark 140-bedroom hotel
GMI Construction Group has been appointed principal contractor for the Dakota York hotel in the city’s historic heart, which is planned to complete in spring 2028.
Operating across the North of England and the Midlands, the independent UK contractor will deliver the 140-bedroom hotel development on behalf of Evans Property Group, owner of the Dakota brand.
Located within the medieval city walls and a short walk from York railway station and Lendal Bridge, it will become the sixth Dakota hotel to be delivered by GMI, building on projects in Manchester city centre, Manchester Airport, Leeds, Glasgow and Newcastle Quayside.
The development occupies a 0.7-acre site and the hotel will be accessed from both Rougier Street and Tanners Moat. A series of terraces will provide views across the city.
The demolition phase is now complete with main works beginning, marking a key stage in the delivery of the hotel.
A wider project team includes KPP Architects, structural engineer JPG Group, planning consultant O’Neill Associates, heritage specialist Montagu Evans, employer’s agent Rex Proctor & Partners and commercial property adviser CBRE.
Ed Weston, GMI’s regional director for Yorkshire, said: “We are pleased to be continuing our long-standing relationship with Evans Property Group and the Dakota brand on a sixth hotel development.
“This is a highly prominent and constrained city-centre site, surrounded by neighbouring buildings and shaped by York’s historic character. With the demolition phase now complete, our focus is on progressing the new hotel.
“We will bring our understanding of the Dakota brand and the experience gained across the previous five hotels to deliver a distinctive new destination for York.”
Marc Banks, development director at Evans Property Group, added: “This development represents the next chapter for the Dakota brand and a significant investment in one of the country’s most popular and historic destinations.
“Our ambition has always been to create a hotel that is unmistakably Dakota while responding positively to the character and heritage of York.
“We believe the finished development will become a distinctive new addition to the city’s hospitality sector.”
