FLOOD fears have been raised over a proposed hotel development in York which would also see a congestion-busting link road being built.

Plans have been drawn up for a £12.5 million scheme to create a 124-bedroom business on land next to the River Foss behind the former Frog Hall pub, which could bring more than 120 jobs to the city.

The project would also involve building the last stage of the James Street link road, connecting Layerthorpe and Heworth Green, which City of York Council has said is crucial to combating traffic gridlock in the city.

But the authority’s flood risk management team has objected to the proposals, submitted by Tiger Developments last month, because they say more details must be provided about how the scheme would prevent flooding problems in the area before it could be approved.

In a memo to planning officers, Richard Wells, the council’s senior flood risk engineer, said: “Insufficient information has been provided by the developer to determine the potential impact the proposals may have on the existing drainage systems.”

Mr Wells said the site where the hotel and link road would be built was within medium and high-risk flood zones and it was classed as a “more vulnerable” type of development, meaning more stringent flooding tests had to be passed.

However, the proposals have been backed by North Yorkshire Police, whose architectural liaison team said they were satisfied “all reasonable steps” had been taken to ensure the development was secure for residents and visitors.

The council’s economic development unit also said the scheme would provide “a number of benefits for the city” in terms of new jobs and the completion of the link road.

If approved, the project, on land which was once part of York Gasworks, would include a drive-through restaurant and potentially another restaurant or pub in retail units on the ground floor of the five-storey hotel building.

Tiger Developments originally secured permission for 158 homes on the land, but the plans stalled amid the economic downturn, leading to delays in building the last stretch of the link road.

Council officers have said the route could save £620,000 in its first year by easing the strain on York’s inner ring road.

A decision on the proposals is expected to be made by the council’s planning committee in November.