Dakota’s £60m airport hotel ready for take-off

Providing 154 bedrooms, the hotel will be the brand’s second in Manchester.

Dakota lodged plans for the scheme in early June and, just three months later, has been granted permission to crack on with the project, which has a GDV of £60m.

GMI Construction, which also built Dakota’s 137-bedroom Ducie Street venue in Manchester city centre, has been appointed to deliver the scheme. GMI is also building a Dakota hotel in Newcastle.

Andrew Ovenstone, managing director of Dakota Hotels, described the location of the brand’s second Manchester site as “exceptional”.

“Not only is it strategically placed next to one of the busiest airports in the world, but it will be central to the development coming forward across the Mix Manchester site.

“We’re very pleased to have secured planning and look forward to bringing the Dakota Hotels experience to the local community, business travellers, and employees and visitors to Mix Manchester.”

The hotel was designed by KPP Architects, with Asteer Planning also advising the applicant.

It is located on a three-acre plot off Enterprise Way and Bailey Lane within the hotel quarter of Mix Manchester – the 2m sq ft multi-use science and innovation campus.

Mix Manchester is being delivered by a joint venture between Columbia Threadneedle Real Estate, Manchester Airports Group, Beijing Construction Engineering Group International, and Greater Manchester Pension Fund.

Gareth Jackson, group property director for Manchester Airports Group, said: “Dakota securing planning for their new hotel is another great milestone for us at Mix Manchester.

“It’s a superb brand, which closely aligns with our ambitions and vision for the forward-thinking companies that we are aiming to attract.”

The Mix Manchester strategic regeneration framework is currently out for public consultation and will see the creation of the UK’s first airport-based science, innovation, and manufacturing campus.