Corporation of Hamilton chiefs will be running the rule over a shortlist of applicants in the next month to build a new city hotel.

Hamilton Mayor Lawson Mapp said five applicants had submitted designs to build a hotel on the Pa-la-Ville car park lot. The Corporation of Hamilton finished looking at all five earlier this week and will create a shortlist of three with a final decision within the next few months.

But Mr. Mapp said he could not say when work would start because it depended on developers getting the capital ready. He said: ?This is a very important development for the City. We have not had a hotel in the City since the old Hamilton hotel.?

The Corporation envisages a hotel for business people of around 120 rooms. Some of the applicants have wanted a residential component but they are not allowed to incorporate office space under the rules of the tender.

Mr. Mapp said there were plenty of other office developments in the city.