Enterprise chiefs are exploring “innovative ideas” to ensure plans for a new luxury hotel in Inverness will benefit the wider community.
New guest accommodation is planned for a vacant plot at Inverness Campus in a bid to tackle a shortage of beds in the city.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has confirmed that it is preparing to start marketing the site, which is close to the agency’s headquarters and Inverness College UHI.
Four and five-star hotel operators are being sought for the development, and HIE has now revealed the development would also deliver “social benefits”.
It wants to hear proposals from the hotel industry to achieve the goal, which could include offering training opportunities for young people and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
However, the agency has to be careful to avoid contravening state aid rules which prevent governments distorting competition and trade by intervening in markets.
HIE board members recently agreed to the principle of the plan, while admitting that such a concept would prove “challenging” and “likely to take time” to deliver.
A fully developed proposal is expected to be taken back to future meeting of the agency’s board.
Last night, an HIE spokesman said: “Our intention is that the hotel development opportunity will result in social benefit in line with the Campus vision.
“This might be in the form of training and placement opportunities, perhaps for young people and disadvantaged groups.
“To help deliver this, as part of the bidding process we will be looking for innovative ideas from the hotel sector.
“Notwithstanding this, the site will require to be disposed of at market value to avoid any potential state aid implications.”
Figures supplied by HIE show that Inverness is the third busiest city in Europe for hotel occupancy rates at 82.4% – behind only Glasgow and Dublin. In July 2015 the figure peaked at 91.9%.
The city only has seven four-star hotels, only one of which has more than 50 rooms, and also has a single boutique five-star hotel.
There have been several developments in the hotel sector in recent weeks with Travelodge having confirmed plans for a £4.4million, 54-bed facility at Ballantyne House, in Academy Street, earlier this month.
