YORK could get its first five-star hotel - in GNER's historic headquarters building.

Independent hospitality group Cedar Court Hotels is drawing up plans to transform the Grade II* listed building in Station Rise into a flagship international hotel.

It said today that its plans would help cement York's position as one of Europe's top tourism and conference destinations - as well as creating more than 250 permanent jobs.

Cedar Court Hotels said the hotel would have more than 100 bedrooms and suites, a fine dining restaurant and a brasserie, a range of function rooms for weddings, meetings and conferences, a deluxe spa with treatment rooms and many other facilities which would provide the hotel with state-of-the-art guest amenities while also preserving the heritage and architectural importance of the building.

York tourism boss Gillian Cruddas today threw her support behind the hotel plans. She said: "This is very exciting news. York has long lacked this kind of facility and desperately needs it.

"In the past, we have suffered from a downturn in US visitors and a five-star hotel would help attract them back and, of course, attract increased spend in the city."

Mrs Cruddas, who is chief executive of York Tourism Bureau, stressed the importance of preserving the building's character and respecting its history.

According to the AA and VisitBritain, guardians of Britain's official hotel classification scheme, five-star hotels should be "spacious, luxurious establishments offering the highest international standards of accommodation, facilities, services and cuisine".

Multi-lingual staff, porterage, a concierge service, a full afternoon tea service and evening turn-down are also expected of five-star hotels.

Cedar Court Group general manager John Horvath said today the rail HQ was a "superb" building in the tradition of the grand railway buildings of the last century.

"We are keen to work with English Heritage to retain and preserve this Grade II* listed building's key features, while ensuring that we can give York a flagship international hotel to rival hotels like The Chester Grosvenor and the Radisson Edwardian in Manchester," he said.

He said the group, which operates hotels in Bradford, Harrogate, Huddersfield and Wakefield, was currently preparing a planning application in conjunction with York Town Planning Consultancy O'Neill Associates and English Heritage.

"The next step for us is to progress our discussions with the council and English Heritage before working up a planning application and listed building consent application for submission later this autumn."

He said that as well as creating more than 250 permanent jobs, the hotel would bring additional benefits to the local economy through the purchase of regionally-sourced goods and services.

The Press revealed in June that the rail HQ might become a luxury hotel, following its acquisition in 2005 by York Investors LLP.

National Express, which is taking over the franchise to run trains along the East Coast Main Line from GNER later this year, has given a public commitment to keep the railway's HQ in York, but said nothing about where in the city it would be based. GNER said today it was aware of the plans to develop the building as a hotel, and it was "in dialogue" over the implications for its business.

John Gelson, GNER's spokesman, said: "Although we do not expect any short-term change, we are in discussion regarding our options for the longer term.

"Both ourselves at GNER and our new parent company, National Express, remain fully committed to the city of York."

The GNER building is regarded as one of York's architectural gems. It was built between 1900 and 1906 and has always been home to railway businesses including British Rail. Northern Rail staff were based there but moved out to new offices elsewhere last year. It is understood many Network Rail staff have also moved out, leaving GNER staff as the main remaining tenants.